Of Perfect Value
by uninhibited.spirit
Summary: She could never escape his eyes; blood red and filled with cruelty and malice. He had chosen her, he had trapped her there, with him. All that was left to do was submit. Chapter 17 is up!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own characters, expect for my own OC. Based purely off of the genius of Stephenie Meyer.**

**Note: It's been a while since I've written a fanfic so please R&R. **

_Prologue:_

I barely remember the night I was brought to the castle at Volterra. I had been living in this world for so long that my life before was nothing more than the whisper of a memory. For some reason, still unknown to me, the Volturi had spared my life, so I felt ungrateful when I thought of them as monsters. But how was I to consider them anything else? They were monsters; beautiful, powerful and intelligent, but still monsters. They were slaves to their thirst, their thirst for human blood, perhaps even that of my own. I was a human, foolish and frail, who was aware of the existence of vampires. For that reason alone they should have killed me that night, five years ago.

I liked to think that perhaps Aro saw potential in me, something about me that was unique, valuable. But I had never understood why the others had not condemned me. In their world I felt so small, so weak, and so afraid of how one moment of their rage could end my own existence. I had spent five years living in fear of each and every vampire that roamed the castle, especially the three brothers.

They were all monsters. Thousands of years of education had not changed this fact, and ultimate power had only corrupted them further. They thrived off of the fear and destruction of humans like me, yet somehow I had been spared.

I knew I had no family left, and I couldn't even remember ever having had any family. It was almost as though my life before this nightmare had been erased from my mind. I knew no one outside of this place missed me and so I had accepted my fate. Though I still considered my life a very real nightmare from which I would never awaken, I did my best to dwell on the opportunities that had been presented to me. Aside from the blood thirsty vampires who kept me, I was safe. The castle had many libraries, with millions of books on countless topics and I was treated with some vague semblance of respect. Although I'm sure being the lover of a member of vampire royalty had had a great deal to do with that.

For the first couple of years I had lurked throughout the castle as a ghost. I ate, slept and read many books, but was mostly left to myself, perhaps even ignored at times. Then one day it was as though a light switched had been flicked on, and suddenly he seemed to actually see me for the first time. Oddly enough the one vampire, who frightened me more than the rest, was the one who had set his sights on me. Caius terrified me, everything about him made my skin crawl: his appearance, his voice, and most of all his mind. He was cruel and unforgiving and exceptionally deceptive. That first day he noticed me, from that first moment I looked into his eyes, it was as though he had put me under a spell. And so for three more years I had lived in fear of him, yet I had always given in to him.

As though the hold he had over my mind was not enough, he regularly ensured the hold he had over my body. It didn't matter where we were or when it was, whenever he desired so, he found me, and even if I hadn't wanted to, I _would_ submit.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own characters, expect for my own OC. Based purely off of the genius of Stephenie Meyer.**

**Note: It's been a while since I've written a fanfic so please R&R. I'd love to hear any comments or suggestions! Again sorry about the length of the prologue, hopefully I made it up with chapter one ******

_Chapter 1: The Summons_

As I stared out over the rooftops I saw the last of the sunlight disappear. I often snuck away to watch the sun set from one of the many towers of the castle. I found that I needed to get away from them all sometimes, to be alone, so that for those few moments I would have nothing to fear. I turned to leave the tower, I couldn't be gone long or I would be missed. When I had first come to Volterra I had spent all my days alone, wandering throughout the castle. I had always loved this castle, even after five years it still surprised me, I could always find something new.

As I descended the stairs and reached the main part of the castle I knew I was being watched. Most of the time my guards lurked in the shadows, unseen and unheard, but they were there, their red eyes glistening. Time had not made me immune to these vampires; they still chilled me to the bone. I walked silently down the corridor, keeping my eyes on the flawless ancient marble floor until I reached my chambers. I gently opened the huge oak doors, just enough for me to slip inside, the room was dimly lit, there was just enough light for me to determine that I was alone in the room. I closed the door behind me and crossed the room to the large wooden wardrobe. Everything in my room was made of rich, dark cherry wood, hung with lush red velvet curtains and embellished with gold.

I always tried to remember how lucky I was, not only had the Volturi spared my life, they had cared for and protected me. I had a beautiful room which over looked a quiet part of the city, and for the most part, I too was treated as some sort of royalty. I opened the wardrobe and pulled out a black cashmere shawl to pull around my exposed shoulders. The one downside of living in a castle full of vampires is that it's always cold.

I pulled the shawl tight around my shoulders and relished the warmth of the soft fabric against my skin. I walked back towards the doors as I heard a faint knock. I pulled the one door open just enough to greet whoever was on the other side. Her large red eyes peered up at me from her porcelain face, her expression the same as always, impassive.

'Good evening Lyana, you have been summoned to the great hall.' Jane's voice was as impassive as her facial expressions. She never once broke eye contact, and she never blinked. Since the castle was a haven for vampires loyal to the Volturi, they had never had any reason to act like humans. Not blinking was the least unnerving habit they tended towards.

I tossed my shawl on the chair next to the door and slipped out into the hall pulling the door shut behind me. All the while Jane continued to stare at me; her crimson eyes, though rich and vibrate were dead. Vampires were not animated by life, and their eyes only reminded me of this fact, there was no emotion behind them, no thought process, just a crippling thirst. She turned and began to lead the way down the corridor. It was dark and the only sound as we walked was of my footsteps on the cool marble floor. We reached the end of the corridor and descended down the winding marble staircase, turning at the bottom into the vast open cavern of the great hall. The entire hall seemed carved out of grey marble, and just before the walls curved into the dome-shaped ceiling, a line of Latin text ran along the perimeter, though I had never asked what it meant. A few Volturi guards stood along the walls, and at the far end of the hall the three brothers sat on ornately carved wooden thrones.

These three ruled the entire vampire world from this hall. It seemed too often that their guards would return to the castle bringing with them vampires who had risked exposure. They were dealt with quickly, and were never shown mercy. So why was it that I still lived? Perhaps it was because I was so insignificant, so weak, that I never posed a serious threat to this secret world they lived in.

Jane found her place beside Alec against the wall, and I was left in the middle of the great hall, in front of my keepers. I felt every muscle in my body tighten as all three pairs of eyes focused in on me. Though he rarely ever smiled, Aro always sounded so pleased to see me, and he was always such a gentleman. He rose and descended the few stairs from the platform where they sat. He was graceful as he floated towards me, his arms outstretched, welcoming.

'My dear Lyana, how is it that you look more beautiful every time I see you.' His cold fingers gently held the back of my hand to his lips. I felt a chill run down the length of my spine as I attempted to smile politely back.

'Good evening. I believe you sent for me.' I tried to keep the words even and calm, despite the way my heart was pounding erratically within my chest.

Aro kept my fingers in his grasp as he turned, leading me up the stairs towards Marcus and Caius, who had remained seated. As we approached them he let go of my hand as he reclaimed his seat between his brothers. I took this opportunity to steal a glance at Caius, whose eyes had not left my face since I entered the hall. Unlike his brothers, his eyes were almost black, with the slightest hint of burgundy to them, he hadn't fed. His eyes held mine for just a moment and I felt a wave of heat rush through my body making my knees feel weak and planting my feet to the spot. He glanced towards Aro, and I quickly lowered my gaze, before I too returned my attention to Aro.

'Yes, I guess I did.' His voice was soft, smooth, and as unnerving as ever. 'There will be some guests arriving to Volterra in the days that follow, and they will be staying with us for some time. These guests may not value you the way we do, so you are not to wander throughout the castle unattended. We would hate for any harm to come to you.' Aro glanced first towards Marcus, the Caius. 'I hope you understand my dear.'

I smiled politely as I gazed up at Aro, 'Of course my Lord.'

His eyes flashed enthusiastically, 'Excellent! Now unless you have anything you wish to discuss with us, you are free to leave.'

I bowed my head ever so slightly, to demonstrate my respect for them, before I turned and walked swiftly from the great hall. I didn't need to turn around to know that Jane also swept from the great hall, and remained a few feet behind me. I reached my room and slipped through the door, closing it behind me. I leaned back against the door and let a deep breath escape my lips. It felt as though I had held it the entire time.

After a few moments I finally found my feet and walked towards the large marble bathroom that adjoined my room. After I had filled the large tub with hot water, I undid the back of my floor length black silk dress and let it skim down my body to the floor. I stepped out of it and slid gracefully into the tub, enjoying the warm water against my skin, and gently inhaling the sweet smell of the rose water I always added.

When I was done I reached for a large white towel and used it to remove the excess water from my waist length, chocolate brown hair. After I had dried off and changed into my long slivery white night gown, I turned down the oil lamps which lit my bedroom and slipped into the warmth of my bed.

As I lay in the darkness I wondered about these visitors to the castle. I had only recalled there ever being visitors one other time. However, the fact that Aro had felt the need to warn me about their presence worried me. Finally I drifted off to sleep, but it was uneasy as I saw Caius's dark eyes over and over again in my mind. It had been days since we had last been alone together, and my body felt heavy with apprehension as I waited night after night. I hated myself for letting it worry me, for the way it caused so many questions in my mind. Why had he stayed away so long? When would he come to me? Would he have fed by then?

Finally, after a handful of restless hours I decided to give up on sleeping. I slipped from the bed and reached for my black shawl before I cracked open my door ever so slightly. I don't know why I peered into the hallway as though I would suddenly be able to see the guard who watched over me. But when I saw no gleaming red eyes as an indication that I was being closely watched I slipped from room and made my way down the blackened corridor.

I passed the great staircase and finally I came to a large oak door, I slowly pulled it open and squeezed through, closing it behind me. I knew this way through the castle, so the fact that it was pitch black didn't bother me much and I made my way up the narrow winding stone passageway. Finally I saw a small whisper of light creeping through the closed door. I hesitated with my hand on the door knob, taking a deep breath. I quietly turned the handle and pushed the door open slowly as I stepped into the dimly lit room.

I had witnessed death before, without doubt, yet it never seemed any easier. My breath stilled in my chest as he tossed the body to the floor. A small amount of blood oozed out of the gaping hole in her neck and onto the elaborate Persian rug, her eyes remained open and glassy, as they bore into me. I stood paralyzed with fear and shock, and finally the fear won out and I turned on heel and fled back down the stone staircase.

As I pushed my door shut, a few tears escaped my eyes and I quickly brushed them off my cheeks. I crossed the room quickly to the glass doors that led onto the balcony. I gazed out over the city begging myself to forget what I had just seen. It was as though I didn't have enough reasons to fear Caius. The cool wind stirred my hair, and a few more tears ran down cheeks and fell to the ground. But the image was burned into my mind; his eyes rich and red from his feeding and the single drop of blood that had run down from the corner of his mouth.

He was a monster, he had drained the life from that girl, and I shuddered as I considered the very real possibility that one day he would drain the life from me as well.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own characters, expect for my own OC. Based purely off of the genius of Stephenie Meyer.**

**Note: It's been a while since I've written a fanfic so please R&R. I'd love to hear any comments or suggestions!**

_Chapter 3: In the Shadows_

The cool night breeze rustled my night gown as I continued to gaze out across the city. Finally I decided I had calmed down enough to attempt to go back to sleep. I returned to the warmth of my room and slid back into bed. As I lay there my stomach became more and more tense with apprehension. Even though I knew Caius fed on human blood, often, seeing it only reminded me what he was capable of.

I closed my eyes and tried to force myself into some sort of sleep, and eventually I drifted off. My dreams were plagued by the lifeless eyes of the young girl, and the sound I had heard when he had flung her body to the floor. When I started awake, it was still dark in my room, this night had seemed to drag along and I wanted so badly to see sunlight streaming in through the balcony door. As I became more aware of my surroundings I realized every inch of my skin was covered in goose bumps, the hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end and my stomach was in knots. This feeling was not new to me and I knew I was not alone in the room.

The shadows by the door to my room were thick, and suddenly I realized those shadows were the only place in my room that were never illuminated by the moonlight. He stood there, disguised by the shadows, completely silent, watching me.

'Did it frighten you?' His voice was like silk, and my heart stopped when I heard it. Why was I surprised that he would choose this night? He loved my fear, he thrived off it, and nothing excited him more then when he could see how he terrified me. I didn't turn to look in the direction of the voice, but from the corner of my eye I could see him float slowly from the shadows. His skin looked silver in the moonlight, his hair equally as pale. But those eyes, nothing could soften the colour of those eyes. They were so intensely red it seemed as though a fire blazed behind them, but something blazed behind them, they smouldered in the darkness as he approached the bed.

I moved to the edge of the bed to kneel in front of him. My mouth suddenly felt so dry and my body screamed at me to move away from him, but I couldn't, and some small part of me didn't really want to. I shuddered as his icy touch forced my chin up, so he could look more easily into my eyes.

'I had to feed my dear, so that I could enjoy this.' He lowered his head towards me, and his lips found mine. Like the rest of him, his lips were icy cold, but as his kiss deepened a wave of heat rushed through my body and I felt myself melt into him.

After that it all felt so easy.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own characters, expect for my own OC. Based purely off of the genius of Stephenie Meyer.**

**Note: Thanks to those of you who took the time to review :) Please continue to R&R, and if anyone has any comments or suggestions, I'd love to hear it. I've heard a lot of interesting reviews and messages about the nature of the story, so I just wanted to say now that I had intended this fic to be quite dark (I mean look who the main character is). That being said, I have also gotten some very positive feedback, so thank you for that as well. Also I'm currently looking for a beta for this story, so if anyone has any interest in that let me know!**

**Warning: This chapter is going to be very dark, so I would not recommend it to the faint of heart. That being said, those who don't have a problem with that; enjoy! :)**

_Chapter 4: Love Bite_

I woke up feeling the warm sunlight dancing against my skin. I forced myself to sit upright in my bed, I was still tired but I felt as though so much weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I was alone in my bed, as usual, and I glanced around the room as though I expected to see him there somewhere. I dragged myself out of my bed and walked slowly into the bathroom, I had decided that another warm bath would be the only cure for my sore, tired body.

After my bath, I dressed and made my way slowly through the castle to the kitchens in the basement. I hated that there were several chefs and butlers there simply to serve me, the only person who ever used the kitchen. I ate slowly as well, lost in thought, as I had been for many weeks now. For some reason every aspect of my life felt like it needed to be re-examined lately.

I thought about him, a lot, I rarely found a moment when I was not thinking about him, about us. I let a small chuckle escape my throat as that crossed my mind. _Us, _who was I kidding, there was no us; he didn't love me, I was like part of the staff, someone kept around to satisfy him when he was feeling restless. Besides he already had a wife, Athenodora, not that she was ever a big part of his life. But she was there, drifting throughout the castle, probably trying to avoid me as much as I tried to avoid her. I didn't expect her to like me, technically I was the home wrecker, the other woman, but I was fairly positive there had been many other women throughout their marriage. I'd also been thinking about the guests who would be arriving shortly, the castle was busier than usual, everyone cleaning and preparing everything.

After my breakfast I decided to walk through the castle, I hoped that maybe it would clear my head. I finally ended up in front of the large pewter doors of the main library. I came here often to read, sometimes just to get away, especially since I had never seen another soul in the library in all of my years here. I had always loved the library, especially this one, with its domed ceiling, ornately painted with cherubs and embellished with gold. The book shelves must have been at least thirty feet high, and every shelf was filled with books, old books with leather covers, some had even been bejeweled. I strolled through all the shelves glancing at the titles, some in languages I was sure no longer existed, but nothing seemed to capture my interest today. I slipped out of the library and made my way down a deserted corridor and slipped through a small archway which had been cleverly hidden by a very old, and slightly dusty, tapestry. I walked up the narrow spiraling stone staircase stopping at a very narrow stone opening, which served as a window. The sun sparkled against the rooftops of Volterra and far below I could see people strolling through the city, enjoying the day.

Was that why I had been so restless of late? Did I miss the freedom of my life before the Volturi? Did I miss going wherever I wanted, whenever it suited me to do so? Or perhaps I missed being able to truly be alone, no guards, no hidden figures or gleaming red eyes. Maybe I missed being with a man, a human man, with warm soft flesh, and a pulse. I closed my eyes, shaking my head softly as though I hoped to dislodge the thoughts from it. When I made it to the top of the staircase I slipped through the door into the large room. I liked that it was plain, rough wood floors and stone walls, and I loved the way the sun shone through the narrow glass windows that extended from the floor, straight up to the ceiling. I sat down in front of the window, to continue to watch the people below. Their lives seemed so simply, so easy; they weren't forced to make love to a blood thirsty vampire night after night, and hope that he would spare their lives each time.

I closed my eyes and let my head rest against the cool stone wall, and it was only moments before I had drifted off, presumably to make up for the sleep I had not been able to achieve during the night.

_Demetri's arms were like stone, as they effortlessly tossed me to the floor. As my knees collided with the marble I wanted to cry out, to let the pain take hold of me, but I wouldn't give them the satisfaction. The pain caused my eyes to tear up and spill over, running down my cheeks. I couldn't bring myself to look at them, but I could feel all three pairs of red eyes leering at me. It wasn't exactly hostility I felt, perhaps more curiosity than anything else. I don't recall them actually saying anything, but a moment later Demetri grabbed my upper arm and launched me to my feet and dragged me back out of the great hall. _

_**Aro's POV:**_

_Something about this human was different, I couldn't place my finger on it, but I was sure that there was something valuable in her. She was the most beautiful human I had ever laid eyes on, but I didn't want her for myself, I had no interest in human women. If their blood did not call out to me, I had no interest in them. But Marcus had said he'd seen something between the girl and Caius, he had only seen it briefly, but there was indeed a future between them. What sort of brother would I be, to know this and kill her anyways? Of course I could do no such thing, so I sent her to be cleaned up and then she would go directly to his chambers. What he would do with her then was his choice._

I slowly opened my eyes, only to realize the sunlight had faded behind cloud cover. I remembered that night, the first night I had ever spent with Caius. It still astounded me that I could want someone that badly, and fear them with every ounce of my being at the same time. Nothing had changed that, when he came to me I would submit, not just because I knew I had to, but partially because I want it; I wanted him. Yet every time I feared it would be my last, that he would decide he longer wanted me, and that would be that. But I was still alive, and he still wanted me, almost every night, and I was addicted to him.

I felt a chill run down the length of my spine as I let the night before play back in my mind. I remembered his icy fingertips under my chin forcing me to look at him, and the way he held the back of my neck when his lips found mine. I wanted to think that these were romantic gestures, but they weren't, they were dominant. He wanted me to know he was always in control, as though I would forget. I recalled the way it felt as he made love to me; the way his icy skin made me feel feverish, and how it felt as he bit the sensitive skin on my neck, ever so gently, as our bodies lay entwined together afterwards.

As I sat there, lost in the pleasures of the previous night, I almost thought I was dreaming as cool fingers gently began to caress the back of my neck.

**Sorry for the wait! Hope it was worth it ******** Aro's POV refers to his POV at the time of Lyana's flashback. Hopefully that wasn't too confusing.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own characters, expect for my own OC. Based purely off of the genius of Stephenie Meyer.**

**Note: The reviews are awesome! I've been getting lots of positive feedback, all very constructive, so thanks again to everyone who's been reviewing. I love to hear any comments or suggestions, so please continue to R&R :) Also, I'm looking for a beta still, so if anyone is interested just let me know!**

**Warning: So this chapter is where alot of that M rating comes into play, hopefully you enjoy it!! Let me know what you think.**

_Chapter 5: Bloodlust_

His lips crashed into mine, cold and hard as ever, but so sweet. His one hand was gentle on the back of my neck, the other like a steel vice around my waist. My blood raced through my veins making my skin feel feverishly hot as I kissed him with a desperate urgency. I grasped the front of his cloak, as though I thought he might try to leave me, but he wanted me just as badly. I felt him pull back, just far enough to look into my eyes.

'How is it that you have this hold over me?' His voice was as smooth and cold as his skin, but his question was sincere. His eyes smouldered as they bore into mine; his gaze only intensified by the fact that he still held me against him, his hands gently tangling themselves in my hair.

'I don't know what you mean, my lord. I have no such hold, I can only wait for the day when you realize you've grown tired of me.' I could barely raise my voice above a whisper, as I felt the fear begin to bubble up inside me. My stomach turned as I searched his eyes. He was trying to determine what it was about me that he felt he couldn't be without. I suddenly realized how thankful I was that he held all of my weight against him, as my knees continued to grow weaker by the minute.

'Grow tired of you? I don't know how that could be possible.' A faint grin spread over his lips, revealing the slightest glimpse of his perfect white teeth. The same teeth that delivered a paralyzing, and most painful venom.

His gaze moved slowly down to my lips, and his one hand untangled itself from my hair, so that he could gently trace the shape of my lips with his index finger. I watched the grin disappear from his lips as he lowered his gaze further, his finger made its way from my lips, slowly tracing the length of my neck. I could see it in his eyes as my blood called out to him, tempting him, but as always he resisted. I knew I had to do something to distract myself from the fear boiling over in the pit of my stomach, and this time my lips claimed his. Today, it felt desperate; I needed him and he wanted me, his tongue gently coaxing its way past my lips.

I wouldn't even have been able to tell that we'd moved at all, except for the fact that suddenly the cold stone floor was beneath my back. Everything felt so cold as all his weight crushed me against the floor, his lips, as they worked their way down my neck and across my collarbone. I closed my eyes, as I savoured the feel of his weight on top of me. Finally his hands found the corseted bodice of my dress, and in one smooth movement he pulled the string free and pushed the fabric away. I shivered as he exposed more of my body to his icy touch.

He rested his weight on his arms so he could look at me. His eyes were glazed with whatever emotion he might have been feeling. I could only hope it was passion, and not thirst. I felt the fear begin to grab hold of me again, and my hands slowly pulled up the silken fabric of my dress that still shielded my legs. A faint growl rolled from his chest before he took my lips, his tongue mercilessly plaguing my mouth as I made out the soft sound of a zipper being undone. His hips forced my legs apart, and a moan escaped my lips as he plunged into me. His mouth gently bit at the delicate skin on my neck as he thrust into me, and I wrapped my legs around his waist in my attempt to be as close to him as I possibly could. I opened my eyes, in hopes of distracting myself from the fact that I was in a very dangerous situation, as his teeth continued to graze my neck. And although I was terrified, it only added to my ecstasy, as his thrusts deepened.

My hands made their way under his cloak, so only the thin fabric of his shirt separated my hands from his diamond hard skin. My fingers clawing against his back as I pulled him against me, still desperate for more of him. Another growl, much louder than the first erupted from his lips as he continued to drive into me, each thrust deeper than the last. I felt a familiar heat begin to spread through my body as each thrust drove tortuous waves of pleasure through me. Another moan left my lips as hips began to grind into mine, my hands still clawing desperately against his back, until the pleasure overtook us both.

His body stilled, and he throbbed inside me. I released my hands from his back and slowly let my weight rest back against the floor. We lay there, still entangled in each other for a few more moments before he rose. He zipped himself back up and turned to leave. I sat then, and began to fasten my bodice back up, my breath still ragged in my chest.

He hesitated for a moment before he turned back to me, offering his hand to pull me to my feet. His one arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me into him. 'Go back to your room, now. Our guests will be arriving this evening and I'd hate if there were some sort of misunderstanding.' His voice was as cold as ever, but something in his eyes was still soft as he looked at me. 'I will send for you later.'

He left then, and I stayed in the tower only for another moment before I left as well. My heart was still beating furiously as I shut my chamber doors behind me. What was it that I had seen in those eyes, only moments ago? I shook my head as I walked across the room to my bed, I couldn't let myself indulge those ideas. I could never let myself believe that I meant anything to Caius, I was expendable, easily replaced. Anything else would make it more painful, when he decided I was no longer valuable.

//////////

'Dear Caius, I only hope that one day I can understand what it is about that human you enjoy so much.' Aro's voice was a soft and delicate as always as he took his seat between his two brothers in the great hall.

'Aro, leave him be.' Marcus' voice seemed so strong and forceful in comparison. 'The human is undoubtedly beautiful and somehow so intelligent for something so young. But we should discuss this later brothers, our guests are arriving.'

The large ornate doors swung open, as Jane and Alec led the small group into the marble hall. The vampires that followed were all dressed in black, their eyes dark and hungry. Aro stood, and walked towards the group, his arms outstretched as he embraced the vampire who was obviously the head of the small coven.

'Ah my friend, it has been quite a while. We are so pleased you could come. But I see that you are hungry.' A slight chuckle escaped Aro's lips, and he turned to his brothers. 'Come, I believe Heidi is due back any moment.'

/////////

_Caius POV_

The blood would sustain me, but I knew it would never be as satisfying. But I had realized the blood I truly wanted came at too high a price. It had taken me a while, but I had finally been able to come to terms with the fact that Lyana was valuable to me. Something about her fascinated me, even after these few years I had not lost interest, to the contrary, my interest in her continued to grow. My brothers believed it was her beauty that kept me captivated, but I had seen many beautiful women in my many years. True, none seemed quite as beautiful, but I was sure that there was more to it than that. Of course, her blood called to me, and every moment with her tested my self control. But still, there was more, she was smart and still mysterious to me.

Aro was convinced that she was more deceptive then I could ever imagine that she used her body as a weapon against me, for her own survival. But I knew she wanted me as badly as I wanted her, I could hear her heart beat quicken in my very presence and I knew there was no trace of hesitation when she submitted herself to me.

I was addicted to her, to the way I looked forward to our encounters. She had brought a new sense of excitement into my existence. Everything that happened with her was so urgent; she was overcome by emotions as humans often are, overcome by fear. She was so afraid of me, and yet still drawn to me, addicted. It pleased me to know that after all her time with me, she was still afraid, as well she should be. She had never truly experienced how dangerous I was, how evil. I was death, in the end that was all I would ever truly be able to offer her. She had awakened emotions inside of me, ones I thought to be long dead with my humanity.

I turned to leave the great hall, my brothers still enraptured by their bloodlust. I could still hear faint cries of the humans, as the last traces of life left their bodies. They were so frail, so easily terminated and I hoped that when Lyana met her own end, I could be more compassionate to her then I had been to the humans whose lives I had just stolen.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own characters, expect for my own OC. Based purely off of the genius of Stephenie Meyer.**

**Note: I was going to give up on this story, but some of you really enjoy it, and encouraged and inspired me to keep going, so I want to thank all of you. I apologize for the wait, and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Please continue to review, I love to hear feedback!! **

**Last Note (I promise) I now have a beta!! :) KittenEm has graciously offered to beta this story, so I want to thank her for all her help!! She really helped me pull this chapter together, and I look forward to her help for the chapters to come!**

_Chapter 6: Cabin Fever_

I was curious about the guests who now occupied the castle. The fact that they had no regard for human life, even my own, was enough to keep me confined to my room. As instructed, I did not leave my room unless I was accompanied by one of the guard. However for the last few days, I hadn't left my room at all. The kitchen had sent my meals to my room at Aro's request, and Marcus had, very thoughtfully, sent a small pile of books he thought I would enjoy. But it still pained me to sit in my room, since I was accustomed to being able to move freely around the castle, the way I was accustomed.

As if the cabin fever I faced was not bad enough, I hadn't seen Caius for the past few days either. Apparently preoccupied with these strange guests, he hadn't even sent word to me, let alone visited. Once again my stomach churned with apprehension, and I paced my room in my attempt to retain some sort of sanity.

Though my attempts to get information from Jane had failed, Demetri had indulged me just a bit. Undoubtedly one of my favourites, he had informed me that the guests were a very old Lithuanian coven, who had been good friends with the Volturi for the last thousand or so years. He had also let slip that they would be staying for a couple of weeks, which was news that did not bode well for me.

I could only hope I would be formally introduced to the small coven very soon, or risk slipping further into insanity in my room. Surely Caius would not be so cruel...

//////

Three more days had passed, and still he had not come to me. I fought back the tears that dared to spill over, clearly he didn't wish to see me, and therefore I couldn't let myself go to him. But almost a week alone in my room had pushed me over my pain threshold, and I had decided that in the early hours of the morning, I would sneak out of my room, and go to the library, just for a little while.

So as soon as the city grew dark, I went to bed, and as I had predicted, I awoke restlessly around 3am. I pulled my black shawl close around my shoulders as I slipped from my bed and crossed my room, to the door. I slowly eased my door open just a crack, and the corridor, like my room was dark. I slipped out into the corridor gently closing my door, as silently as I could behind me. For the first time I felt alone in that corridor, perhaps all the guards were busy with these important guests. I ran down the corridor, as quietly as my clumsy human feet could manage, but even to my ears it seemed so loud. Even the silk of my black nightgown seemed to rustle far too noisily as I reached the library doors.

I opened the large ornate doors just enough to squeeze through, but my heart pounded in my chest and seemed to vibrate through my ears. I would find another book or two quickly and return to my room before anyone would discover me, I had to or Caius would know I had disobeyed him.

The library was almost dark, except for a few errant candles left burning at the end of the aisles of books. I slithered down the aisles looking for any title that might keep my mind somewhat preoccupied. I almost thought I was dreaming when I heard faint whispered voices come from of the private rooms which adjoined the library. I would have left then, to avoid discovery, until I finally recognized Caius' voice, it sounded so good to hear it. But then I heard the other voice, one I didn't recognize, but one that was female. My feet slowly carried me towards the door, left open just a crack, and about a foot from the door I forced myself to stop, to listen.

'I still think of you often, of our time together. Though to the world I am _his_, I will always be yours.' Her voice was as smooth and cold as his. I wanted so badly to peer into the room, to look at this vampire who still longed for my master. But I thought better of it, I was sure I'd regret it if I did, and I could not risk them hearing me.

'I have Athenodora, and I need no one else, I never did. Our time together was foolish; of course I shall always think fondly of it, we should never have allowed ourselves to be together. We knew nothing could ever come of it.' A small wave of relief washed over me at the coldness of his voice. Pain rolled through my chest at the thought of Caius with this mysterious female, or perhaps it was not pain I felt but jealousy. I had always feared a day would come when he no longer held any interest for me, and I longed to know why he had lost interest in this instance.

'You need no one else? I think you lie to me Caius, you think I don't know about your precious little human? You can hide her away all you like, but it won't stop your guards from speaking of her, and it definitely won't hide the smell of her. I smelt her on you the day I arrived and I smell her now, and I only wish she would not be so rude as to remain unannounced.'

I had tried to turn, to run back to my room, but my fear had rooted me to the spot. I wanted to scream as the door flew open, as he emerged, his eyes black with fury. Though it wasn't terribly loud, it seemed all to audible to me; the low guttural snarl that rumbled deep within his chest. But there was no time for his wrath now, as the female stepped out behind him. She was beautiful, her skin seemed silver in the dim light of the library, her wild red eyes were framed by long dark lashes and her faced framed by wild curly black hair. She was lovely, slender and tall, but she was bitter and angry as well.

'Well well Caius my dear, she is beautiful, for a human. So this is how you occupy your time now.' She leered as she circled me, observing from every angle, catching a lock of my hair in her fingertips and brought it to her cheek. 'Although I thought you were done with human lovers, as I recall they never seemed to last very long with you.' An evil snicker escaped her lips as she ran her fingertips down the length of my arm, abandoning the lock of hair.

I had rarely seen Caius act out and was startled when he grabbed Ayla's wrist and wrenched it away from me. 'That's enough Ayla. Lyana was just heading back to her room.' His words cut into me, they were cold, livid. He put his hand on the back of my neck as he spun me around and ushered me towards the library doors. I tried to conceal the grimace that reached my face as his hand applied more pressure than was necessary. Ayla hadn't followed us, so when we reached the doors we were more or less alone, but Caius didn't say anything, and I forced myself to turn and flee. I waited until I was pulling the doors to my room open before I let the tears win out. I couldn't decide which was worse, that this beautiful vampire was residing in the castle for the next few weeks, or that Caius knew I had disobeyed his orders.

'Why did you do it? He told you to stay in your room, to not wander around unattended, was that such an unreasonable request?' Marcus stood only a few feet away, his eyes as sad as his voice. He turned and set a couple of books he had been holding on the end of my bed and turned to face me. 'I though you might be needing more books soon, so I went to the library, and you can imagine my shock when I saw you sneak in. But as you no doubt discovered Caius and Ayla have some history between them, a history that could prove to be dangerous, for you. I fear for you, my dear and you know as well as any of his temper, especially since it is you who has disobeyed him.' He slowly closed the distance between us, lifting his hand to wipe the tears from my cheeks. 'There was a reason he didn't want Ayla to know of your presence. She's very jealous still, and your fragile state will only tempt her.'

'I'm sorry', the words were quiet and they seemed to be all I could muster. But Marcus raised his hand to stop me.

'It's not me who requires the apology; you should save it for Caius. But I will speak with him first, to sooth his anger as best I can. In the meantime Lyana, you _will_ stay in this room. I will put Demetri at the door.' His eyes were still sad as he floated past me, leaving the room soundlessly.

I tried desperately to sleep after Marcus had left, but the fear had consumed me now. The look in Caius' eyes had been unlike anything I had ever seen before. I had crossed him this time, and I knew that my actions would not be without consequence.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own OC and ideas. The rest is all courtesy of Stephanie Meyers.**

**Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Please continue to review, I love to hear feedback!! Also, Thanks again to my beta KittenEm, who made this chapter so much better!**

_Chapter 7:Forgiveness_

_- _Aro POV _-_

'You know how foolish humans can be, brother. There's no point in acting irrationally about what she did.' I noticed that as Marcus spoke, he lacked his usual bored demeanor as he addressed his brother, his sad eyes searching for some sort of understanding. But there was none; Caius paced the great hall, his eyes still blackened with rage.

'You should heed Marcus' advice. Or do you not remember what happened the last time you lost your temper?' We only wanted him to be reasonable, to understand that he must control his anger.

'I told her to stay in her room, unless escorted by one of the guard. I told her it was in her best interest, for _her_ safety. So now not only does Ayla know about her, _she_ has openly disobeyed me. She tries my patience.' Caius continued to pace the hall, his hands balled tightly into fists. His voice was icy, but no longer smooth; it was harsh as the anger bubbled under the surface.

//////

I couldn't sleep. I knew I would have to face him eventually; it was inevitable. The look I had seen in his eyes in the library still haunted me as I paced my room. Every time I closed my eyes I could see his face, the rage in his eyes sent chills down my spine, and I longed for him to come and do whatever he would. I would endure whatever he had in store for me, just so long as he did it sooner rather than later.

Finally I decided to step out onto my balcony; I needed fresh air to help soothe the panic that had been keeping my stomach in knots. The cold night air enveloped me and I should have longed for the warmth of my shawl, but I didn't. I wanted to be cold, to feel numb to the fear that gripped me. I couldn't even be frightened of Ayla right now, anything she could do to me would be nothing compared to what I feared Caius had in store.

I didn't even hear Jane knock, and her sudden appearance on my balcony should have startled me, because I was too consumed by thought.

'Your presence is requested in the great hall.' Her voice was as impassive as always, but even through the sinister red colour of her eyes I could almost swear I saw concern.

I got to my feet and followed her wordlessly from my room. As I passed through my bedroom door into the darkened corridor, Demetri joined us at my other side. We walked silently down the marble staircase and into the great hall. It was still late and only the three brothers were there, Aro and Marcus were seated in their usual spots, but Caius stood against the granite wall just off to the side.

I felt a new rush of fear rush through me as Jane and Demetri remained behind at the doorway to close the large oak doors behind me.

I couldn't even force myself to walk any closer and remained just inside the doors. My entire body felt cold and rigid with stress. Slowly I lifted my gaze to look at them.

'Come here my dear, you have no reason to be afraid.' Aro's voice was still light and soft, but his face was serious, clouded with concern; this was not a good sign. I slowly felt my feet move me towards the three brothers, almost of their own free will. I stopped a few feet away, my eyes lowered; I couldn't even bring myself to look at them again.

Aro rose and floated towards me. When he reached me he brought his fingertips underneath my chin, ever so gently forcing me to look at him.

'Are you sorry, for what you did Lyana? We only wanted to protect you, not all vampires will find you as valuable as we do.' His voice was calm, soothing. Aro was always calm, reasonable, but most importantly, forgiving.

'Yes, I'm sorry that I disobeyed your request. It won't happen again.' My voice was only a whisper, but I knew it was enough. Aro's face spread into a smile and he ran his finger gently along my jaw bone.

"See brother, she is sorry. Let that be enough.' He turned and resumed his seat, but his smile faded slowly, as Caius stood in silence at the side. The tension continued to rise; Caius wasn't willing to let that be enough. He was furious, irrational even, although I was still thankful that he had taken to silence.

After a moment or two, which had seemed like hours, Caius abandoned the wall, closing the distance between us. He glared at me for a moment before turning to his brothers. 'Leave us!' He hissed; his voice was laced with venomous rage. T_his_ was not a request. He wasn't asking permission, he was telling his own brothers to leave. Marcus stood and touched his hand to Aro's shoulder. Aro nodded and the two rose and ghosted down the passage behind the thrones.

Caius continued to glare at me, and I looked back into his eyes, searching for some sort of reason. I wanted to look away, but something about his gaze held me there, paralyzed. I was terrified, but I knew I had to verbalize my regret; I _needed_ to make my apology now.

'Caius, please, I know you're mad but just hear me out.' I took a step towards him, though my mind was screaming at me to run. 'I'm sorry I disobeyed you. I just wanted to go to the library, I was so sick of being shut away in my room.' I felt there was more I should say, but I was distracted by a dangerous snarl which ripped from his chest. I finally listened to my instincts but before I could even turn to run, I felt my body collide with a wall. At least, at first that was what it felt like, until I realized that Caius had spun me around and had crushed my body against his own. I felt the breath get forced out of my chest, and gasped desperately for air. I wasn't sure if it was the force he had used, or if it was the fear that kept me from catching my breath; as my precarious position dawned on me. Caius' one arm acted as a steel vice around my waist, pinning me against him, while his other arm forced my head to one side, keeping my neck exposed; his mouth barely inches away.

'Do you think you are above my wrath?' His voice was seething with rage, his icy breath sent chills through my body. This was it, the moment I had always feared, the moment his desire for my blood would win out over everything else. But I realized, letting him suck the life from me wouldn't be as easy as I had always thought. My entire body was shaking; a sob finally escaped my lips.

'Caius _please_!' My voice was desperate, panicked. My hands clawed at the arm around my waist, as the tears spilled down my cheeks.

Finally, he released me and I slumped to the cold marble floor, gasping for air, barely able to pull myself onto my knees. My one hand gently massaged my neck, and through the tears I stole a glance at him. He had resumed his spot against the wall, but the anger in his face was now mixed with resentment. But I wasn't sure if it was resentment for me or for himself. I lowered my gaze again, and we stayed there in silence for a while as I brushed the tears from my cheeks.

'You will never disobey me again, Lyana. This was your second chance; a kindness I have never bestowed on anyone else, and now I remember why. If I ever even think you have betrayed me again, I will kill you.' He lingered for a moment before he turned and walked towards the passageway the other two had left by.

Though I hadn't even heard the doors open, Demetri was beside me, completely silent. He helped me to my feet and supported my weight as he led me from the great hall. He still had not spoken a single word by the time we reached my room. But as I shut the door behind me I caught his sympathetic look.

//////

I had cried for a few hours, until finally sleep had caught up with me. The worst had come and gone, and I had fallen into a deep disturbed sleep. My dream was haunted by images of him, his lips parted, exposing his teeth, reddened with blood.

When I awoke the sun had just set; I had slept for the entire day. Yet still I felt exhausted, but I pulled myself out of my bed and crossed the room to the small desk near the balcony. Demetri had brought my food into the room and set it on my desk, and for that I was thankful. Despite the trauma I had experienced the previous night, I was hungry.

After I ate I made my way into the bathroom, and slipped into a hot bath. The water felt good; it was the first time in the last few days I had actually felt warm. But I still didn't enjoy it as much as I generally would have. As I dried off I carefully examined the bruises that were forming along my ribcage. They were a deep blue, purple colour and already incredibly sore.

When I could no longer stand to look at myself I slipped into a red silk dress. My entire wardrobe was either black or red, with an occasion silver or white piece thrown in. Almost everything I wore was a floor length dress, generally silk. I was meant to look irresistible and feminine all of the time, as though I could ever forget my only purpose.

I resumed my spot on my bed as I reached for one of the books Marcus had left me, and tried to take my mind off what had happened. I read for a while before I drifted off to sleep again, as usual I awoke in the early hours of the morning, my room was dark and cold.

I wasn't alone. A familiar chill ran through my body as I sat up in my bed. I sat in silence, waiting for him to make himself known, but he didn't. Finally I rose from my bed and took a few steps towards the shadows that consumed him. After a moment or two he stepped towards me, the moonlight gently illuminating his face. His eyes were a bright, rich, crimson red, but tonight they were filled with a different emotion.

We stood there, inches away from in each other in silence for a while. His eyes seemed almost conflicted, and I wished I knew what was racing through his mind.

'I'd kill you if it would put you from my mind, but it wouldn't.' He brought a lock of my hair to his face and gently inhaled the scent. Apparently I should be more careful what I wished for. I took a small step back towards my bed, but his eyes hardened ever so slightly at my actions.

This was a night, where a woman would refuse any regular man and turn him out of her room. Unfortunately, he was no regular man, and even though I shuddered at the thought of his touch tonight, there would be no refusing him.

He slowly closed the distance between us, his expression still conflicted. When I had moved away, I had offended him, and I knew he wanted to be angry with me. But a hint of that resentment I had seen the night before still lingered in his eyes, the fact that he was there meant that resentment was not for me. His hand found my waist, and I cringed, his anger from last night still too fresh in my mind. But tonight his touch was gentle as he pulled me into him.

With his free hand, he gently pushed my hair back from my shoulders, so that his lips could find my neck. I gasped as his cool lips made their way down my neck, surprisingly soft, and I mentally cursed myself for my betrayal. I wanted to hate him, to be disgusted with him, but instead I hated myself, as usual my body had melted at his touch.

His hands gently pushed the thin silk straps off my shoulders, letting my silk dress fall delicately to the floor. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he lifted me into his arms and set me down on the bed. The weight of him on top of me felt so good, and he placed a hand under the back of my neck as his lips claimed mine. I could barely remember the last time he had been _this_ gentle with me, or the last time that his lips had been this soft against my own.

My fingers slowly undid each button of his shirt, and I let them explore the pale muscles of his chest. He pulled away from me ever so slightly, his hand still on my neck, as his eyes bore into me. They were fiery red with lust and glossed over. They took all of me in, and a slight grimace reached his lips as his gaze settled on the bruises. He let his one hand trace the discoloured skin, a hint of pain washed through his face.

I decided that I need to get his attention away from my bruises and I pulled his face towards mine, that was all the hint he needed, and he continued to kiss me, this time with a little more need then before. My hands moved from his chest to the zipper of his pants, I wanted him to have all of me, to take me that very moment. I coaxed his pants as far down as I could while his tongue teased mine, I used my feet to push them the rest of the way. Apparently, he also felt the urgency as he slid me over so that he could pull the blankets up around us, to protect me somewhat from the chill of his skin.

I gasped as he pushed his way into me, even after all this time, those first moments were still some glorious combination of pain and pleasure. A quiet growl rumbled through his chest as he began to grind against me. Though we both ached with fevered urgency, I knew tonight our love making would be no short affair. He wanted to take his time, to savour every second of it, and there would be no argument from me. A quiet moan escaped my lips as he pushed even deeper, his hips rocking torturously into me, forcing waves of pleasure through my body. I arched my back, and he took the opportunity to slid an arm beneath me, pinning me firmly against him, his thrusts getting even deeper, while he maintained his slow, measured pace. He knew this would drive me crazy; it would make me beg him for release. But tonight wasn't about me, it was about him; his forgiveness.

I swore to myself I would say nothing, and let him take me however he saw fit. I bit down firmly on his shoulder, to silence myself, and another growl shook his chest. My love bite had pushed him over the edge, his eyes were wild now, and his hips began to rock faster and deeper. His arm released me and I leaned back into the mattress, another moan escaped my lips, much louder than before.

My hips ached under his weight, and there was nothing either of us could do to be closer then we were in that moment. But that didn't change the fact that I wanted him to be closer, to be deeper inside of me. It was in moments such as these, that I needed to be the most careful with Caius. Lost in waves of pleasure, I wanted to satisfy him in every way; at least I thought I did. I wanted to tell him to take all of me, my body, even my blood. But I feared if I let those words escape my lips he would oblige, he was tempted enough as it was, and he would often brush his lips against my neck, to feel the blood rushing through my veins. But I feared soon enough, my body wouldn't be enough, he'd need more than that; he would want to take all of me.

The fear only fed our urgency, his thrusts had become fast and rough, and I worried my body wouldn't e able to take it. His eyes glittered dangerously in the moonlight, he held my gaze as we reached our climax together, a loud, bone chilling snarl erupted from somewhere deep inside him as his hips ground into me, savouring the final moments of our love making.

We lay entangled together for a while, before he rolled onto his side, but holding me tightly against him. I fell asleep in his arms, he was still deep inside me and his lips brushed the skin of my neck.

I guess he had forgiven me. I felt no tension between us as I drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep. I had not only been given a second chance, Caius had given me a third, and I knew this time I could make no mistakes. But I was no longer worried so much about what would happen to me if I failed him this time. Just this once, I would acknowledge my real fear would be never experiencing another moment such as the one we shared now.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own OC**

**Note: Thankyou to everyone whose been reviewing!! I'm sorry this chapter took so long, it's been crazy with exams, but I'm done now, so updates should be much faster ****I hope you enjoy the chapter, please R & R**

**Thanks again to my awesome Beta KittenEm, who has greatly improved this story and who continues to help inspire me!**

_Chapter 8: Pillow Talk_

The heavy sound of the rain against the window woke me from my sleep. I lay in bed for a while, consumed in thought, even my dreams had given me no peace. The first thing I noticed when consciousness found me, had been of the emptiness next to me. Caius was not there with me; I'm not even sure why I would possibly let myself believe that he would be.

For the three years we had been sleeping together, never once had Caius stayed with me for an entire night. In fact, he had never stayed at all before last night; he would always have his way and leave. I should have been happy that he had stayed at all, but waking up to an empty bed had sent a wave of sadness through me.

I was brought out of my musings when I felt the mattress sink near the end of my bed. I bolted upright, coming face to face with Ayla's lovely face; it didn't even seem sinister, just beautiful beyond words.

'Hello Lyana, you looked so peaceful before, I didn't want to wake you.' Her voice was soft, tender even, and I knew I should be scared. But I couldn't move, and running would have been pointless.

'What do you want from me?' My voice was only a whisper and my body was tense with fear. I was sure I didn't really want to know, but I needed to hear her say it. A smile grin spread over her beautiful, full red lips.

'I just want to talk to you, is that so terrible?' She seemed sincere, but years of living with Caius had taught me better then to trust a vampire. 'To be honest, I'm jealous of you. How did you manage to hold his interest? You're only a human: weak, foolish. So how is it that you're still alive?' I knew she wasn't really asking me, she was asking herself. However she continued to scan over me, her eyes taking in every visible inch of my body. I tried to shift away from her, to put as much distance between us as possible.

'Why would you be jealous of me? Didn't you say that his humans never last very long? I can't tell you why he's still interested in me, I don't know. I ask myself those same questions.' It was odd how relieved I felt to say it out loud to another. Her face hardened a bit, her lips forming the most beautiful scowl I'd ever seen.

'I know why he lets you live.' The words came out as a hiss and she rose from the bed to walk closer to me. 'Look at you, so young, so beautiful. You're blood smells so sweet; I can only imagine what it would taste like. He's saving you, so when he finally grows tired of you; when your body fails him, your blood will taste _that _much sweeter. He'll have waited so long for it; I don't think he's ever waited this long for anything he truly wanted.' She sat down, beside me; her beautiful white arm reaching so that she could gently trace the line of my jaw with her finger. 'Don't worry it's nothing personal. Women in general don't last long with Caius. He sees one he desires, he takes her, over and over again, then he grows tired of her. And he will grow tired of you too, my dear, sweet Lyana. Rest assured.' Her eyes narrowed maliciously, and she leered at me for a moment before she rose, slipping from room.

I tried to ignore what she had said, but it was useless, every fear I had ever had she had confirmed. I felt the sobs rip from my chest, and my eyes burned as the tears streamed down my cheeks. I pulled my knees up to my chest so that I could bury my face against them.

A while later I dragged myself from the bed and sauntered groggily into the bathroom. I tried to enjoy the sweet smell of the rose oil in the steam. It wasn't until my fingertips pruned that I decided to get out, taking my time with everything; drying off, dressing in my favourite long black silk dress, brushing out my hair until it sat just right around my shoulders. I tried to just relax and be happy that he had forgiven me, and ignore the twinges of despair that tugged at my chest when I remembered waking up without him there beside me. Somehow thinking about Caius was easier than trying to think about what Ayla had said to me. I tried so hard to push those thoughts from my head; pretending that they had never been said. But I knew that they had and they would not be that easily forgotten. She terrified me and her words gave me an increasingly sinking feeling of doubt.

Now as I sat on my bed watching the individual drops land on the smooth stone of the balcony, I had sunk deep into thought; thoughts I tried to avoid. These were things I knew, deep down; I would never have with him. I shouldn't even consider our little interludes as lovemaking; there was no love, not from him. I lay back against the pillows, abandoning the book I hadn't really been reading. This day had seemed so long, so dull and gray, as the confinement to my room continued. I would have given anything to be distracted from my thoughts, to have an excuse to leave my room, to be away from my bed, which housed so many memories of my encounters with Ayla as well as Caius.

After I had eaten dinner, which Demetri had brought up to me, he escorted me to the great hall. As I walked in past the great oak doors I noticed two strange males standing next to Aro, and _her_.

Caius sat in his usual spot; his eyes were a brilliant shade of red today, and it seemed as though there was a certain warmth behind them. They wandered up and down the length of me before holding my gaze for a moment. That's all we had, a moment before Aro's ecstatic voice chimed in.

'Oh my dear Lyana, we felt it was time that you met our guests, our oldest friends.' His smile was unusually bright today, his eyes glowing with a sincere enthusiasm. He descended the few stairs that separated us and gently gripped my fingertips, lifting my hand to gently kiss the back. I hated that Aro knew everything, what I thought, how I felt; the most intimate of moments that I shared with Caius. His eyes bore into mine for a moment. He held my hand captive by his own, his fingers tightening slightly as his smile faded. It was then that he knew about Ayla and what she had said to me, because I could not keep it out of my mind, especially with her so close.

'I'm so glad you two were able to reconcile your differences, it would have been such as shame to dwell on that unfortunate incident. It also seems like I am also going to have words with him on another matter.' His words were barely more than a whisper, they were meant only for me.

He continued to hold my hand as he led me towards the guests. The one, who stood forward from the other two, was surprisingly short, but he had an incredibly thick build. He was obviously the leader of the small coven; he too had red eyes, and long, thin black hair. Just behind him stood Ayla, even more radiant in the daylight then she had been in the library; her eyes were narrowed, catlike as she leered at me from behind her mate. And just beyond her stood the other male, he was very tall and very lean, his face was gaunt and his red eyes lacked all vibrancy. He too leered at me, in fact only the leader looked at me with a neutral curiosity. He clearly was not aware of the history his mate shared with Caius, nor of our encounter in the library.

'Lyana, this is my old friend Odocovar, he oversees his own coven, back in Lithuania. And you have already met his wife Ayla.' He let go of my hand, allowing Odocovar to place his own kiss on the back of it.

Odocovar did not immediately release my hand; he held it to his lips for a moment. His eyes wandered up my arm to settle on my face. They had darkened with thirst, and he reluctantly let go of my hand, taking a small step backwards. 'So lovely to meet you Lyana, I can see how Caius is so captivated by you; such a beautiful girl, and so young.' His voice had a heavily Lithuanian accent, or so I thought it was.

I smiled timidly, seriously regretting my ever having wanted to meet these guests. Ayla continued to leer at me the entire time, and I noticed a dangerous look in her eyes; wheels were turning under that mass of untamed black curls, she was plotting something, something I was sure I never wanted to know about.

Thankfully Caius chose this moment to ghost past her and Odocovar, gently resting a hand on Aro's arm. Aro nodded and Caius slipped an arm around my waist and escorted me swiftly from the room. His pace was almost too fast for me to keep up without jogging and we didn't stop until we reached his study.

'I'm sending you away.' The door had barely closed behind us. His words were harsh and definite, but that warmth still lingered in his eyes. I felt as though the wind had been knocked out of me, and I needed to gasp for air. I leaned back against the door we had just come through, tears already threatening to escape my eyes. He stood on the other side of the room, looking out the window at the quaint little city below.

'I don't understand.' The words were breathless as I fought back the tears. 'I thought you had forgiven me?' My chest heaved as I continued to gasp for air, each breath harder than the last.

He turned to face me, his face conflicted, as though he wanted to comfort me, but he kept his distance. 'I will forgive you, that's not why. It's Ayla; I don't trust her to leave you alone. She's going to try to kill you.'

'Then send _her_ away!' I hadn't intended for the words to come out so loudly, but they did. I had gone from confused and hurt to angry. It wasn't fair, this was my home, and I didn't see why I should have to leave it.

He crossed the room, closing the space between us, one arm slipped around my waist, crushing me against him; the other tangled itself in my hair, forcing me to look at him. 'It's not that simple. Odocovar doesn't know what happened between Ayla and myself, and we don't particularly want him to find out. It's better if I send you.' His words were definite. It was clear he had decided and I had no choice in the matter.

I wanted to beg him not to do this, to let me stay. I feared this fragile state I was in right now, having just been given another chance, and what being separated might do. But he didn't give me the opportunity; the hand at the base of my neck forced my head forwards so that my lips met his. Today his need was urgent, frenzied. He took me then, right there in his study, the same place I had seen him drain the life from some poor innocent girl not that long ago. Though I couldn't shake the gruesome image from my mind, I was still willing.

The thought of being without him made my heart race with panic, and I held myself as close to him as possible. I wanted him to never stop, because that would mean I would have to pack my things and leave. Apparently he felt the same way; we must have been there on the floor of the study for hours. When we finally came down from the throes of our passion, the city outside the window had darkened.

He laid there, still inside of me for a while, his lips gently exploring my neck, while the pounding of my heart subsided.

'Where are you sending me?'


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own OC**

**Note: Thankyou for all the wonderful reviews!! Not to mention everyone who has added this story to their favourites **** Also, much thanks again to my Beta KittenEm, who is amazing!!**

**Enjoy!! And please continue to R & R **

_Chapter 9: Transitions _

'_I have a friend, I am sure you will remember him fondly. You'll be well looked after, and very much off of the map.' _I remembered the way the grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as he spoke. He thought he was being funny, clever even.

Back in the safe haven of my bedroom I tried to keep the tears at bay. It was ridiculous to cry, he was protecting me, and I should be grateful. In a way, I was grateful, but I was also terrified, confused and wrought with despair at the thought of leaving Volterra. I had lived in the castle for half a decade, it was my home, and more importantly it was Caius' home.

Even though Caius was a blood thirsty, soulless monster, I did cared about him. I couldn't bring myself to use the word love, because I knew that once I accepted that was how I felt about him, I'd have to say it - out loud - to him. And I simply couldn't bear the thought; the very real possibility, that he didn't harbor those same feelings. In fact, just the thought of him using the word love seemed unnatural, and impossible.

I reached back into the depths of my closet, to retrieve clothes that I practically never wore anymore. Clothes that simply did not project the image I was expected to portray; jeans, t-shirts, and running shoes even. They almost looked alien to me, it had been that long. I wouldn't need my regular wardrobe. Floor length black and red silk dresses would be simply ridiculous where I was going.

I shoved the clothes into the suitcase which lay open on my bed. I had to be fast, my departure was being cleverly hidden, so as not to arouse any suspicion. In fact, only Caius, Aro and Marcus knew where I was going. I cringed as I recalled the plan: to leave late in the evening, when the three brothers and their guests would feed. They would be consumed by their thirst that I would be able to leave Volterra undetected… hopefully. Unfortunately, this meant the hours we spent together in his study were the last I would see of Caius until I was allowed to return.

I slammed the lid of my suitcase shut and turned to step out onto the balcony. I looked out over Volterra, mentally wishing it goodbye. Then the knock at my door sounded, right on time, the way Demetri told me it would happen. Demetri stepped inside, and behind him Felix slipped past me to grab my suitcase.

'Felix will leave by a different way with your suitcase. But you will come with me. Are you ready?' I nodded solemnly and slipped quickly from my room after Demetri.

As we flew down a small, damp staircase, which seemed to be made exactly for reasons such as this, I could swear I heard the screaming coming from the Great Hall. I tried not to think about the poor innocent souls who would die, so that I could live.

The staircase ended at a very old iron door, which led outside, where a black, heavily tinted BMW sat idling. I ducked quickly into the back seat before turning to look at Demetri, but there were no words. I would miss him, my silent protector. He grinned at me while he playfully tousled my hair.

'Safe trip Lyana, try to come back in one piece.' He shut the car door quickly, and I heard the trunk lid slam before Felix and Demetri slipped back through the iron door.

As the car took me quickly away from Volterra I felt my agitation increase as I began to worry about the next chapter of my life, and how long it might last. Caius had said it would only be a couple of weeks, but what if it turned out to be more?

//////

As I walked out of the airport I was greeted by a veil of rain and fog. I could tell this would be hard to get used to. I already missed the sunny Italian city which had been my home for so long.

It all felt so weird to me, the rain, the cold, jeans and running shoes.

'Lyana…' I hadn't heard that voice in a long time and it sounded like the voice of an angel.

I felt his arms wrap around me, pulling me into the gentlest hug I'd ever experienced. Though he too was cold to the touch, everything about him was warm and good, from the honey colour of his eyes to the golden blonde colour of his hair.

'This visit is far overdue.' His smile was blinding, the kindest smile I'd ever seen in my entire life.

//////

I enjoyed sitting in the front seat of a car for once, watching the greenery as it flew past on each side of us.

'I'm so glad you'll be staying with us Lyana. Even though the circumstances are less then amiable, we're all looking forward to the next couple of weeks with you.' Carlisle was still smiling as he spoke. He had always been happy to see me, and I him.

'I've missed you. Even though Volterra is my home, I've always felt so welcomed here.' Not to mention safe. I never had to worry about Carlisle thirsting for my blood; I knew it simply was not possible with such a gentle, loving man, regardless of his vampiric form.

'I should hope so. We love you, if only you could visit more often.' His smile faded a bit, a slight wave of trouble washed over his beautiful face, something was bothering him. But before I could ask him the car turned down a long winding drive, which was all too familiar.

The car ride hadn't been long enough, it had been such a long time and I had so much to catch up on. But there we were, the car pulled smoothly up beside the house - modern yet sophisticated. He pulled my suitcase out of the trunk as I got out of the car and followed him up the stairs of the porch.

The door flew open before either of us could get to it, and the smile that stretched across my lips felt like it would break my face.

'Oh Esme!' I couldn't resist flinging myself into her open arms. I couldn't remember my own mother, but it never bothered me. Even though I barely ever saw the Cullens, Carlisle and Esme had always felt like my real parents, so warm and loving.

For the first time in a long time I felt truly safe, like nothing could hurt me. No sense of doom, no fear, no having to submit.

'We're so glad you're here.' Carlisle set my suitcase beside the stairs and turned to stand next to Esme. They were both absolutely beaming at me, and suddenly a couple of weeks away from Volterra didn't seem so bad.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my own character.**

**Note: I apologize for the wait, but I hope everyone had wonderful holidays!! Thanks again to my awesome Beta: KittenEm :) **** Without whom this story would not be what it is. I hope everyone enjoys the chapter, and please feel free to review :)**

_Chapter 10:Temptation_

Everything about the Cullen's house was so light, and so full of warmth and love. The house was very modern and open, with vast windows that allowed the natural light to invade every inch. But I found the vampires who resided within were the reason the house felt so different from Volterra. They were kind and gentle, they loved and showed compassion and ultimately they appreciated every life, not just my own.

I had only been there a couple of days, but from the moment I walked through the door with Carlisle, everything had fallen right back into place. My life with the Cullens had picked back up exactly where it had left off, and it seemed now as if I had never left.

Thus far my days had been filled with long conversations with Alice and Esme, who insisted on hearing everything about Volterra. They would sit and talk while I cooked for myself, and it truly felt like a family. They felt like my mothers, my sisters and my best friends, all combined into two of the sweetest people I had ever met.

Alice still insisted on making me over, which included hair, nails as well as some new clothes. But I had to admit, at least to myself, that I loved spending the time with her, while she talked on and on about the entire coven, and her beloved Jasper. In fact I often found myself a tiny bit jealous of the mutual intensity of their relationship; something I knew I would never have. Jasper generally kept his distance, which Alice assured me, was nothing personal.

As for Emmett and Rosalie, they kept mostly to themselves, at least Rosalie did. She had never been overtly friendly towards me, and I never pressed the matter. However, Emmett was always very friendly, and loved to try to get me to laugh while drinking. For some reason, seeing juice come out of my nose was incredibly amusing.

Mostly I loved the fact that I could talk for hours with them all; I could divulge my deepest darkest secrets, without fear of judgment. However, it was Carlisle I was closest to, especially since he knew the Volturi, having lived with them for quite a while himself. Therefore he knew the ordeal I was enduring. He also knew Caius, and I felt as though if anyone could help me understand my master, it was Carlisle.

I sat at the large mahogany desk as Carlisle floated about his study, flipping through volumes of medical encyclopedias; buried as always in his work. Sometimes we could even sit in silence together, and there was never any tension, or any awkwardness, but not today. I hadn't heard from Caius since I left Volterra. I attributed this to his desire to keep my location hidden, but the lack of contact had provoked my insecurities. As a result, I felt I needed Carlisle close by to help me keep a firm grip on my sanity, which seemed to be slipping further from my grasp with each passing hour.

'You miss him.' Carlisle sat on the ledge by the window with his encyclopedia open, but his attention now was focused on me. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. He knew me, probably better then I knew myself.

'Is it wrong? I should be relieved; in fact any normal person would probably take this opportunity to escape. I'm so far away, I could run, or attempt it at least. But I do miss him; I missed him before I even left Volterra.' I kept my gaze down, keeping my attention focused on an old book lying on the desk.

The speed of the movement should have startled me, but I was too comfortable with Carlisle, who, in a matter of seconds, had crossed the room to lean against the side of the desk where I sat.

'Lyana, you've been close to Caius for at least three years now, and you're human. It's only natural that you would develop very strong, powerful feelings for him. Feelings like those can make anyone see past everything.'

'If only those feelings were reciprocated.' I finally forced myself to look up into Carlisle's warm golden eyes.

'He sent you here, to protect you, when he could have let Ayla kill you. He cares that much, and let me say that's more than he's ever shown for anyone. He wants to keep you alive; he acknowledges that your death would be a substantial loss to him. No other human can say the same. You should be grateful for the influence you have over him, over all of them. The day you arrived and Aro decided they would keep you, I figured you would have the same chance as a snowball in hell. But you're still alive, and that says a lot.' He held my gaze, his eyes searching for some sort of understanding on my part.

'Sometimes I think back on that day, the day they found me, and wish that Aro had killed me, just like anyone else.' I quickly downcast my gaze; I didn't want to see the look on Carlisle's face after making such a comment.

'You're not like anyone else, no one human anyways. Besides, then I wouldn't have had the privilege of getting to know and love you. None of us here would have.' I tried to smile, but even I knew it must have been pitiful.

'Caius wouldn't have been able to get to know me either. Sometimes, for my own well being, I think that may have been best. It almost seems like a death sentence in itself, just more drawn out, more complicated. The way Aro prefers it I'm sure.' I knew Carlisle would not deny that Aro could certainly be cruel at times, and enjoy manipulating every situation around him.

'You think Caius will kill you?' Carlisle always tried to believe in the good in everyone, and I could hear the surprise in his voice.

'I do. Everything about our relationship, if you could even call it that, goes against nature. You said so yourself once; that human and vampire relationships are extremely difficult, tedious, and in some cases impossible even.' It helped me to be able to voice my fears and concerns to someone who was actually interested in helping me, though I would regret saying them aloud later.

'I think you've survived with Caius for a while now, it will only get easier for him. Although, when you return to Volterra you should be careful for a while. You're absence will have lessened his resistance to your scent.'

'I will be.' I stood up, stretching slightly, before turning to face Carlisle again. 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't be so miserable. I couldn't be any happier to be here.' I let a small smile find my face before I turned to leave the study, pausing in the open doorway to look at him once more. He smiled brightly at me, his warmth washing away the fear which constantly threatened to take control of me.

///// (Aro's POV)

'Why don't you visit your wife, brother, perhaps it will help your foul mood.' The words sounded harsher then I had intended. Caius had been particularly vicious the past few days, and I feared how he would unleash his anger. 'When was the last time you visited her chambers? It's been at least a year.'

'I visited her yesterday, and the day before that. I'm afraid Athenodora has never been very good at pleasing me, merely at irritating me.' Caius' words were cold; however there had never been much love between the two, though occasionally, there were sufficient amounts of lust.

'Well I'm sure we could find a human for you, if that is your wish. Perhaps it will be easier to pretend its Lyana, if it's warm.' I heard a low growl rumble through Caius' chest; followed only by one of the most venomous looks I'd ever had the pleasure of receiving from him.

/////

I enjoyed the warmth of the car, as I watched the green all around us. I loved going for drives with Edward, but part of me worried if it was such a good idea this time. On my last visit, we had had a moment, the slightest of moments where I had wondered what my life would be like if I were with a vampire as gentle as a Cullen. Ever since, being near Edward made my heart scream out how foolish I was, to even consider dragging him into my world of blood thirsty monsters. He was so sweet and good, and in one of my more admirable moments, I had hesitated, with our lips so close they were almost touching, and our moment was lost.

Edward had thought at first it was rejection; that I didn't want him, that I couldn't love him. Perhaps I couldn't, perhaps I only wanted to believe I could love someone who could truly love me. Honestly, my fear of Aro had stopped me; I couldn't risk him knowing about it. I could except that he already knew I had come close to temptation but resisted; that I had considered it, but not acted upon it. Aro had kept my secret from Caius, and for that I was indebted to him for eternity.

'Can you stop thinking about them, please?' Edward's voice rang out, tearing me from my thoughts. I always forgot that unlike Aro, Edward needed no physical contact to hear my thoughts, and I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. 'The thought of you, with _him, _it almost makes me sick.'

'Well then don't think about it. No one said you had to listen to my thoughts anyway.' As the words left my mouth they sounded cold and harsh, more so then I liked.

Edward's mouth pressed into a tight line, obviously there was plenty he wanted to say, but didn't. We sat in silence for the rest of the drive. I didn't want to hurt Edward, but I had to make it clear that there was no hope for us. And though he knew what I was thinking, he said nothing.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my own OC. The rest belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**_

**_Note: Thanks for everyone whose been reviewing, I always appreciate the feedback!! I apologize for how long it has taken me to update, and I will have chapter 12 up much faster, I promise! Thanks again to my beta KittenEm :) Enjoy!!_**

_Chapter 11: Sapphires and Emeralds_

It had been a couple of weeks since the awkward conversation between Edward and myself in his car, and I had been doing my very best to avoid him whenever possible. At first I had felt an overwhelming sense of disgust (with myself) and despair. There had been an opportunity for me to be with a man who deeply cared about me, and was actually able to verbalize those feelings. Instead, I was adamant to remain with the man who I had been sleeping with for years, who would never have those feelings for me, let alone verbalize them.

I had still heard nothing from Caius, therefore I felt it absolutely necessary to keep myself busy constantly, or else risk the nausea and panic that would ensue. I had come to enjoy long hikes through the forest that surrounded the Cullen's house. The rich, green scenery always kept my mind completely occupied, and I found myself hiking for miles each day. I enjoyed the freedom I had here; the freedom to leave the house and be able to be completely and utterly alone, to go and do as I pleased. Unfortunately, this constant rainy and dreary gray world was beginning to get on my nerves and I missed the golden, warm sunshine of Volterra.

It was approaching dusk as I slowly made my way back through the forest towards the house. I had been gone for several hours, and the looming darkness had driven me to turn around and head back. The more days that passed, the more I found myself wondering if I was ever going to go back to Volterra, or if they had grown tired of me and had decided to pawn me off on Carlisle.

I sped up my pace as the canopy of trees began to block out more and more of what little daylight remained. I had never left hiking so late in the day before, and was fairly confident that hiking through a forest in the dark was not a very good idea. Unfortunately, the sun was setting faster than I could walk, and I knew that it was still a fair distance to the house.

A twig snapping just behind me made me stop instantly. I stood there frozen for a moment, listening, but all I could hear was the faint sound of rain drops hitting the leaves above my head. I quickly resumed my pace, now slightly frightened by the prospect of what might be lurking in the forest when the sun went down. I felt myself stifle a scream as another twig snapped, this time just a few feet to the right of me. It was already too dark to be able to see very far through the tree trunks, but I stood very still again for a moment or two and pleaded desperately with my eyes to see as best they could.

'A bit late to be hiking, isn't it.' The voice drawled out of the dark from somewhere beside me. The voice was all too familiar, but I still felt a loud startled gasp escape my throat, as I located a pair of gleaming red eyes, far closer to me then I would have liked.

'Have you been following me this whole time?' I should have sounded as happy to see him as I felt, but I hissed the words at him, still recovering from my shock.

'Well just your hike today.' Finally Demetri took a few steps towards me and I was finally able to see the body that accompanied the eyes. A small smirk played at his mouth as he approached me. 'I'm here to fetch you, and bring you back to Volterra.'

I felt an overwhelming sense of relief rush through my body and I couldn't resist my sudden urge to hug him. Since he had never really been overly affectionate, like most of the vampires I lived with, he remained awkwardly still, gently tapping my back.

'Has the Lithuanian coven left then?' I couldn't help but wonder if there had been anymore problems with Ayla since I had been away.

'I think it best if we discuss this back at the Cullen's house.' I nodded in agreement and followed Demetri silently for a while, as we walked quickly through forest.

Finally my curiosity got the better of me, 'Any news from Volterra? I've been gone so long.' My words were slightly ragged as I tried to keep up with him. Thankfully, he stopped, turning to look at me for a moment, his face laced with hesitation.

'Well we have a new visitor now. But you can meet them when you get back.' Even though he was over a thousand years old, he was still a terrible liar, and I could instantly sense he was keeping something from me. Unfortunately, the fact that Demetri, of all people, would be nervous about telling me something was not a comforting thought.

'Who, Demetri?' My voice was stern as he turned and continued walking, obviously not wishing to divulge such information to me. 'Demetri!' I was practically jogging at this point, in order to keep up with him. After a moment he stopped again, far too abruptly and I stumbled into him. He looked down at me; his eyes looked reluctant, even in the moonlight.

'Her name is Chloe. Believe me, her stay is quite temporary.' The name didn't mean anything to me, and I was fairly positive I had never heard her mentioned before.

'Who is she?' But he didn't answer me; instead he just waited, watching me, as the information slowly sunk in. I hadn't realized I'd moved at all, but suddenly I felt myself thud softly on the forest floor as I fell to my knees.

'I'm sure it's nothing; a passing fancy. To be honest, I'm not sure he likes her very much. Besides, he sent me to bring you back. He wants you home.' Demetri looked uncertain as he waited for some sign of life from me.

'So he can kill me. You know Caius doesn't like loose ends.' I felt all the blood leave my face as I knelt there, paralyzed by shock and fear. I don't know how long I knelt there, but eventually I awoke a few hours later and I was in my bed, Esme perched beside me.

'We were worried about you.' Her voice was gentle and smooth, and I could feel her cool hand against my cheek. 'Alice says she hasn't seen Caius hurting you in any way. You shouldn't be afraid; I know you're anxious to go home, although you will be deeply missed.'

/////

It must have been a good while later when I awoke next. I felt the gentle hum of an engine beneath me, through the supple leather seat.

'We're landing soon Lyana; you should put your seat belt on.' I couldn't sum up the strength to find Demetri. Instead I did up my seat belt and let myself fall back into oblivion.

It wasn't that I was tired, but the news had sucked all the energy from me. I didn't know why I was even going back. It seemed obvious to me that Caius had already moved on, and it had only been a couple of weeks. I wanted to sleep through it all, but mostly I didn't want to deal with the situation that loomed over me.

I awoke finally, back in my own bed. The sun outside my window had just set, and darkness was beginning to creep through the room. I forced myself out of the bed and into the bathroom. I hoped a bath would relax me and help me think rationally.

When I had pruned up nicely I got out of the tub and dried off. I let my damp hair hang loosely around my shoulders in soft curls to dry, and walked to my wardrobe to slip on my favourite black satin dress.

I should have been excited to be back, to see Caius. But Chloe had ruined my reunion for me; and I found myself already hating her for it. A soft knock at my door made me jump, pulling me from my thoughts. I crossed the room, pulling open the large door. On the other side Jane's impassive red eyes gleamed back at me.

'Welcome back. Aro wishes to see you in the great hall.' I slipped out into the hallway and followed her silently through the dark corridors. I wanted to ask her about this new girl, but Jane and I had never been close, or even considerably friendly. I knew she would not reveal any information to me, especially not without specific orders from Aro.

All too quickly she was pushing open the large, polished oak doors, letting me walk into the large cavernous marble room on my own. I slowly approached the three brothers, who sat in their regular seats at the far end. They looked exactly the same, and I wasn't sure why I had expected them to look any different. Marcus acknowledged me briefly with a slight inclination of his head, before he resumed his normal look of indifferent boredom. Aro had an enthusiastic smile plastered to his face, his hands clasped gently in his lap. And Caius, my heart began beating wildly in my chest at the sight of him, his eyes were a magnificent shade of crimson as he stared intently back.

I could have timed it, how long it would take before Aro rose, gently descending the stone steps towards me, his arms outstretched. It was like clockwork, though it still made me smile, as his voice chimed out through the hall.

'Oh my dear, we are so thrilled to have you back.' He reached for my hand, bringing it gently to his lips. He continued to hold my hand in his for a moment, his eyes focused on my own. 'I'm glad you enjoyed your stay with Carlisle and…the other Cullens.' I knew his hesitation was in regards to my ordeal with Edward. He held my hand as he led me closer towards the other two, leaving me right at the bottom of the stairs, before resuming his seat. 'But I see that Demetri has been kind enough to inform you about our little guest.' His eyes flashed dangerously, and I hoped Demetri would not be in trouble.

'Yes my lord.' I wanted desperately to look at Caius, but I resisted, keeping my focus on Aro.

'Excellent! Jane has brought her down; we thought it best that the two of you meet, sooner rather than later.' I turned at the sound of the large oak doors opening. The girl who walked through them could barely have been eighteen; she was about my height with long, sleek fiery red hair. Her eyes were seductive and a beautiful, intense shade of sapphire blue, but her beauty was somewhat diminished by an unnecessary amount of makeup, which I found to be inappropriate.

She was wearing a very short, incredibly snug, forest green dress which clung revealingly to every inch of her. The neck plunged low, revealing a disturbing amount of cleavage that was as pale as her long, slender legs. She was pretty alright, and I was appalled by the similarities between us. Not wanting to seem as though I was threatened in any way, I straightened my shoulders bit, pushing out my chest, while gently tossing my head to let my long chocolate waves tumble around my shoulders.

She stopped beside me, and I raised my chin indignantly, her crisp sapphire eyes meeting my smoldering emeralds.

'You sent for me, Master.' She purred.

'Yes. Chloe this is Lyana. Unfortunately she's been out of the country for the last little while, so you two have not yet had the pleasure of meeting.' I cast her one last frigid glance before returning my attentions to Aro and Caius.

Aro watched us for a moment and when he realized I had no further intentions of speaking, or looking at Chloe, he waved her away dismissively. 'That will be all.' I tried not to look smug as I heard her footsteps leave the hall.

Caius had been watching me the whole time, and I tried to hold his gaze, looking strong and confident. But inside I felt cold, as waves of panic and despair washed through my body, chilling me to the bone. I felt tired again, but I had slept for so long, perhaps the fatigue I felt was emotional. It felt like I had been worn down, like there was nothing left to help me carry on. And although my head was screaming at me to stay quiet and wait till I was dismissed, I felt my chest begin to heave; my entire world crashing down on me.

'Was there anything else you needed to see me about?' The words were breathless, barely louder than a whisper. All three pairs of eyes were observing me, even Marcus, and Aro studied me curiously for a moment.

'We just wanted to welcome you back. But it seems you are tired from your trip, you may leave us if you wish.' I turned on heel to flee the hall, walking as quickly as my legs could possibly carry me. Once out of the great hall I ran, not stopping until I had reached my room. Unfortunately, someone was waiting there for me.

She stood with her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed. I could have screamed, and I would have if I had thought it would make her leave me alone, but it wouldn't. I had no patience for this girl, and I found no strength to pretend otherwise.

'What do you want from me?' My words were harsh, bitter even and I could feel my hands ball into fists at my side.

'I just thought you should know you won't really be needed around here anymore. I'm with Caius now, and I'm all he needs.' Her smirk made my cheeks flare with heat; anger causing the blood to boil up beneath my skin.

'Listen to me, Chloe. I've been here for quite a while now. About five years to be exact, and I've been close to Caius for three of those years. You've been here for what? Two, maybe three weeks? So I'll believe that when I hear it from his mouth.' I pushed past her, pulling open my bedroom door, hesitating there. 'I really don't need anymore problems, if Caius wants you then I'll respect that, not that I have much choice. But until he sends me away I'm not going anywhere.' After I had said my peace I slipped into my room, shutting and bolting the door behind me.

I threw myself across the bed, burying my face in the sheets, as I tried to fight off the scream that was bubbling up inside me. I lay there for a while, in the dark, calming myself. I felt a cold hand press lightly against my shoulder and I gasped, turning to face my silent visitor.

* * *

**Don't forget to review!! ...please :D**

**Last Note: For anyone whose interested, me and KittenEm collaborated on a oneshot for the 'I Get Off In Volterra' contest. So for any Aro lovers, be sure to check it out!! (It didn't let me put the link in properly, so you will have to get rid of the spaces...sorry!)**

www . fanfiction .net/s/5665850/1/Ad_Vitam_Aeternam


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything, except for my own ideas and my OC.**

**Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and thank you to those of you who have stuck with the story (your reviews really mean alot to me).. So here's the next chapter :) I will continue to try my very best to update more quickly from now on. Once again, thank you soo much to my beta Kitten Em!!**

**Enjoy!! and review maybe? :D**

_Chapter 12: Interruption _

Marcus's solemn face stared back at me, his pale skin glimmering faintly in the moonlight. 'I apologize; I didn't mean to startle you.' Even his voice was laced with a tone of absolute melancholy. I had always wondered what had happened to him, in his many years, which had affected him this way.

We sat there in silence for a moment before he spoke again. 'That was a terrible shock to you; I could see it in your eyes. You haven't been replaced. I know that's what you're thinking, but their bond is so weak.' I had no reason not to trust Marcus. He had always been there to help me when I needed it most, when I couldn't turn to Caius.

'Well he's obviously keeping her around for something.' The words were bitter and harsh, and I regretted them as soon as they left my lips.

'It was hard for him to have you be so far away for so long. That was how he chose to cope with your absence. It was Aro's idea, I'm sure that comes as no surprise to you.' He stood from the bed and walked slowly to the window, to look out over the darkened city. 'He found her with a member of the Russian coven, who had become a bit…reckless.'

'Thank you.' It was all I could manage to say to him. I appreciated his honesty, and most of all: his compassion. He nodded in response before sweeping silently from the room. I sat there in the dark for a bit longer, lost in my thoughts.

I knew I wasn't ready to give up my life here. I had endured Volterra and Caius for years, and I cared too much to back down. After repeatedly going over, in my mind what Marcus had said, I peeled myself off the bed, slipping quietly out of my room and down the dark corridor. I moved quickly through the castle, making my way up the spiraled staircase to Caius's chamber. I wasn't sure if I was being watched, and I realized I didn't care. When I reached the ornate oak door at the top I took a minute, to compose myself, and to remember my last trip. I decided this time it would be best to knock, and I rapped lightly on the door.

'Come in Lyana.' His voice made my heart leap in my chest, and I took a deep breath before slipping into the room. The room was dimly lit, by only a few candles, and Caius stood at the far end of the room as he looked out the window into the night sky.

As the door shut behind me, he turned to face me; his eyes a beautiful, rich shade of red.

'Am I interrupting?' I let myself lean against the closed door in my attempt to keep from falling down.

His eyes scanned the length of my body before he ghosted towards me. I felt like I hadn't seen him in years, everything about him seemed to make my heart race. I felt nervous, not that it was an unusual feeling in his presence, but this time it was different. I wasn't sure what to expect. He stopped barely an inch from me, raising a finger to trace the line of my jaw.

'What would you be interrupting?' He was forcing me to say what I wanted to avoid. But I knew there was no escaping the issue, and so I forced myself to find some ounce of courage.

'I thought you might have…company.' My throat felt so dry that I wasn't sure how I had been able to form a coherent statement. His face was so close to me; his crimson orbs smoldering in the candlelight, his full lips slightly parted. I leaned my head against the wood as well, as though that slightest bit more distance between our lips would help lessen his intoxicating effects on me, but it didn't.

A grin played lightly at his lips as he turned, walking a few feet over to lean against his desk.

'You thought Chloe would be here, but still you came. Perhaps you missed me while you were away.' The grin became more evident as he spoke. I couldn't bring myself to speak, not that I needed to. He knew I had missed him and that I had come because I wanted him. I was just too terrified he no longer wanted me.

There was something in the mere mention of her name, coming from his own mouth that gave me courage. I felt as though someone else had inhabited my body. I felt my chin rise, ever so slightly, my body relaxing a little from its tensed position. I gently pushed myself away from the door, walking towards him slowly, sensually. My body pulling me tortuously close to him, so close I could feel the cold emanate from him.

'Would you prefer her tonight, my lord?' I purred at him, my head tilting slightly to the side, exposing the delicate skin of my neck. I watched as his eyes filled with lust, his chest heaved as he took a deep breath, inhaling my scent. 'Just say the word, and I'll leave.' I couldn't believe myself, though this side of me had come out on occasion, I still found myself in shock at the way I was able to influence him.

A low growl rumbled forth from his deep in his chest, and he pushed himself away from the desk. One arm slipped around my waist, crushing me against him, while the other hand wove itself through my hair at the nape of my neck.

'If I wanted her, I'd have her.' He hissed at me, his lips almost touching my own. A shiver ran down the length of my spine; the anticipation was more then I could possibly bear. Every inch of me was aching for him, desperate for him to take me, and more than willing to please him in every way I could.

His lips crashed into mine, and I could only guess he was aching for me the same way. His cold, sweet tongue invaded my mouth, and I savoured the taste and feel of him. I felt myself melt into him; my head swimming as I eagerly returned the kiss.

He spun us around lifting me to rest on the edge of the desk, one hand pulling up the length of my dress before his hips forced my legs apart. I wrapped them firmly around his waist, our lips never separating. A tiny part of me regretted giving into my seductive side, I had pushed him over the edge and he had been consumed by desire. It wasn't the desire that bothered me, it was the fact that even his kisses were rough, and my lips throbbed as he ravaged them. It made me nervous to think of how he rough he would be with the rest of me.

I gasped, pulling my face away from his as I heard the loud ripping of fabric: my underwear. He pushed me down, so I was lying on the desk, while his lips explored the length of my neck. Another, much louder growl, echoed through the room.

My breathing had become ragged in my chest, and I closed my eyes, forcing my mind to concentrate only on how everything felt. The ache that permeated through my body had become unbearable, and I heard the distinct, and more then welcomed, sound of a zipper being undone. I cried out as I felt heat sear through my body as he thrust into me. The pain of him filling me was delicious, and was quickly replaced by an overwhelming wave of pleasure.

His thrusts were hard and deep, and I felt my nails claw at the hard wooden surface as I tried to quiet myself. I was startled when an angry snarl ripped through his body, his one hand gripping my throat, and squeezing firmly but not cutting off air.

'Do you see what you do to me!' His voice was hoarse and rugged, and his eyes were black as they bore into mine. I was afraid and excited, his eyes were terrifying, but his hips continued to grind into me.

'Caius, please!' But my voice failed as he silenced me with an incredibly hard, almost excruciating thrust. Another snarl deafened me, and I closed my eyes, letting my head fall to one side, fighting back the tears. The pain subsided as he became gentler with me, but I kept my eyes closed until he shuddered into me, a cold wave exploding through me.

He remained inside me, as was his custom, and my eyes stayed closed until I felt him move us to the large red couch near the window. I finally forced them open, afraid to look at him. His eyes had regained a bit of their crimson hue and they studied me carefully.

'What is it about you, Lyana, which I can't let go of?' His voice was smooth again as he spoke. I felt the tears begin to brim my eyelids and I forced myself to sit up, pressing my lips desperately against his, determined to not end the night just yet.

He pushed me back down into the sofa, repositioning himself between my legs before pushing himself back into me.

This time he was gentle, and I felt my body begin to relax again. My hips moved in rhythm with his, as I met each thrust.

Right before dawn, he came again, and this time I joined him. But he remained on top of me, pinning me to the couch, and we lay like that until the sun rose in the sky. His lips were tender on my own, and I could have laid there with him forever, with absolutely nothing between us.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my own ideas, and of course, my OC.**

**Note: Thanks for all the amazing reviews! They really do inspire me, and motivate me to keep writing and I appreciate all of them :) Thank you also to my awesome beta KittenEm!! :D **

**Enjoy!!**

_Chapter 13: Liaisons_

My hot bath felt exceptionally good after my long night, and I was fairly certain I had been in the bath for so long every inch of my body had pruned. I felt my mind constantly wander back, remembering every detail of the night, a small smile spreading across my lips regardless of my attempt to keep it at bay. I had awoken in Caius' study in the late afternoon; the sun streaming through the open window, and I had felt content. I had since been able to maintain my relaxed, carefree attitude, finally enjoying being back. After a while I at last got out of the tub and dried myself off, taking my time while I dressed and brushed my hair out just so.

As I stood in front of my wardrobe trying to decide what to wear, I remembered Chloe in her obscenely tiny green dress. Suddenly I felt a weight on my chest; it was almost overwhelming, making it difficult to breath. I had almost completely forgotten about _her_, but as soon as she reentered my mind, I felt a pressure begin to build up inside me. I would not let her get between me and the life I had finally become accustomed, or more importantly between myself and Caius.

I felt my aggressive, competitive side take over and I selected a provocative, fiery red dress, which I had not worn in quite a while. After I had slipped into it I remembered why. Though it wasn't overly short, it did reveal quite a lot leg and the corseted bodice emphasized my silhouette. I was mostly worried about the way it exposed my more than ample chest. Nevertheless, I had decided that it was time to show Chloe who she was messing with. I slipped on a pair of my favourite black Louboutins, which I didn't really wear around the castle, and with a final glance in the mirror, slipped out of the room.

I walked through the deserted corridors of the castle, the loud sharp sound of my heels on the stone floors reverberating around me. I hated the attention the sound drew to me, and I was thankful when I finally reached the library. I regretted the shoes now, but no other shoe would have gone as well with the dress. I quickly slipped the shoes off before entering the library, and was sure to lose myself immediately among the enormous, ornate shelves. As I past the private rooms that spanned the perimeter I heard the sound of old weathered pages being flipped repeatedly. I tip toed closer towards the room the sound was coming from and peering carefully through the door which had been left ajar.

I felt angry instantly as I saw Chloe seated at the large wooden desk inside, flipping through an old manuscript. Today she was even more scantily clad: the steel blue dress had an even lower neckline then her previous ensemble. She seemed completely unaware that she was no longer alone in the library, and was mindlessly twirling a strand of her flaming red hair between her fingers. I glowered for a moment before I decided it was best to move along, and headed quietly for the secluded corner hidden at the very back of the library. On my way I had grabbed a very old Italian history book, bound in a beautiful gilded cover. I settled myself on a golden beige sofa and forced myself to become lost in the vibrant history of the country where I had been living for so long.

I wasn't sure how long I had been reading for, but when I finally gave up for the day, the sky was darkening outside the long narrow window. I stood stretching and returned the book to its shelf, before I made my way to leave the library. I couldn't help myself as I snuck quietly up to the room, almost secretly hoping that Chloe would still be there, at least then I would know where she was. More importantly I would know that she wasn't with Caius. To my dismay the door was open, revealing the dark abandoned room within.

I fought the knot of anxiety that threatened to build in my stomach and quickly left the library.

'Why I am not surprised to find you here.' Jane's voice drawled from somewhere to my right. I clasped my hand to my mouth in my attempt to stifle a scream. Jane eyed me curiously, waiting for me to recover.

'Sorry, you scared me.'

I saw a sneer spread across her angelic face. 'You're presence is required in the great hall.' She turned quietly, leading me back towards the hall. I was fairly certain that was more conversation then we'd ever exchanged in a single week.

I slipped my shoes back on just before we reached the doors to the hall, and quickly smoothed any wrinkles from my dress. As Jane and I entered the great hall, I immediately noticed there were only two brothers present, both raven haired. Caius wasn't there. That knot in my stomach became all too evident, and nausea was beginning to spread through me.

I forced myself to maintain my composure as I approached Aro and Marcus. Aro smiled as he stopped at the bottom of the stairs; however, I was surprised to see Marcus, studying me warily.

"My my Lyana, don't you look ravishing this evening.' Aro's voice echoed through the hall, and he clasped his hands together gently in his lap as he observed me. I smiled, acknowledging his compliment, but remained silent. 'My dear, I had hoped we could discuss what happened here yesterday.' His face quickly became serious as he rose, descending the stairs towards me.

'Of course, my lord.'

Instead of reaching for my hand, as was his custom, Aro began to circle me slowly as he spoke. 'It has been brought to my attention that Chloe's presence here in the castle has made you …uneasy. Marcus has informed you that it was I who brought her to Caius' attention.' He paused for a moment, studying my face. 'I only hope you do not believe it was my intention to replace you, so to speak.' He took a step towards me, closing the distance between us, finally reaching for my hand, which I offered willingly. Instead of being forced to voice my fears aloud I decided it would be easiest to let Aro hear everything, privately.

Aro's face seemed solemn, as he used my hand to draw me even closer to him, so close that what he said next was barely more than a whisper. 'You are more valuable then you know, my dear, not only to Caius.'

I felt a shiver course through my body at his words. Something about what he had said unnerved me, and I suddenly felt uneasy being so close to him. I small grin appeared on his lips, before he released my hand, returning to his seat.

Marcus extended his arm gently resting his fingertips on the top of Aro's hand, and after a moment Aro nodded in agreement. 'You should go now Lyana, we will speak with you tomorrow.'

As I turned to leave I saw Caius enter through the passageway behind the thrones. His eyes were black, wild even, as he held my gaze. I paused for an instant, frozen with shock; I was all to use to those eyes. The nausea rolled through my stomach again. I turned and fled from the hall as quickly as I could, without drawing too much attention. As I left, Heidi passed me, followed by a very large group of tourists. They seemed completely at ease, no concern in their minds whatsoever as they entered the great hall, the oak doors shutting behind them. I continued to run as quickly as my feet would carry me, towards the staircase.

I almost made it out of earshot before the first of the screams sounded. I felt my stomach heave. I knew people died here, many people… innocent people. But hearing their screams made me sick every single time.

As I walked down the darkened corridor towards my room, my stomach had stopped turning a bit, but the anxiety remained. I was distracted momentarily by the sound of footsteps ahead of me, heading away from me. I sped up a bit, finally making out a female figure ahead of me: Chloe.

I let myself speed up fast enough to catch up to her. I grabbed her roughly by the shoulder spinning her around to face me. Her face hardened at the sight of me, it was full of that same infuriating arrogance I had seen yesterday. But as I took a moment to study her, I realized her cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen, and her red hair a mess around her shoulders. My heart skipped a beat in my chest, and she raised her chin defiantly as she watched my reaction.

'I told you I was with him now; pretty soon he won't need you at all.' Her voice was cold, heartless.

She didn't understand that the feelings I had for him were genuine, or perhaps she did know, but she didn't care. I realized that Chloe didn't just want Caius; she wanted me out of the picture completely, and preferably dead. I wanted to run for my room, to lock them all out, but I realized this wasn't an issue I could run from. I would have to fight.

'So that's it then? That's what you want - to get me out of the way?' I figured it was best to figure out what the bottom line would be with her. Even though I already knew exactly what it was that she wanted.

'You already are out of my way. Now all that's left to do in finalize it.' The sneer that stretched across her full red lips was despicable, and I was sure it matched her soul.

'You hate me that much? You don't even know me. If anyone has the right to hate someone, shouldn't it be me? You're the impostor here, not me.' I could feel the blood rush to my face, my cheeks felt like they were on fire as I spoke.

The cackle that left her lips echoed through the deserted corridor. She looked at me, a patronizing look enveloping her face. 'Well I'd be fine if you just disappeared but I've heard it doesn't quite work that way. So really all I can hope for is that he kills you. It really is more compassionate, isn't it? As opposed to keeping you alive, forcing you to see the man you love in love with another.'

I'd had enough, my head was screaming at me to stop playing fair. Nothing about this situation was fair, and it was time for me to do what was necessary. 'You think he's in love with you? You're deluded!' the words came out far louder then I'd liked. I really did not want there to be any witnesses to this conversation. 'Was he with you last night?' I squared my shoulders, my eyes growing cold. I watched a new wave of anger wash over her face in response. As I watched her, I noticed that faint purple bruises had begun to form along her neck just underneath her jaw line. Apparently, he was not being quite so gentle with Chloe. 'No, he was with me. And for the record, he's never felt the need to strangle me while we were making love.'

I pushed by her, being sure to let my shoulder collide with her own. I turned my head slightly to glare at her as I passed, catching just a glimpse of her reaching for the bruised skin on her throat.

As I reached the door of my room I heard her yell after me, 'He'll be with me tonight, you can be sure of that.'

I stood there for a moment, just inside my room, using the door for support; wishing I hadn't confronted her so I wouldn't have seen the proof of their liaison. I didn't even try to fight back the tears that followed. After I was sure that I was stable I took off the dress quickly, I felt ridiculous as I tossed it across the room pulling on my white satin nightgown. I left the room dark and I slipped into the bed, squeezing a pillow against my chest as though it might, in some way, help. I cried until my eyes and my head ached and exhaustion forced me into unconsciousness.

I was sure I hadn't slept long, and when I awoke the moon was still high in the sky, silvery beams casting shadows throughout the room. Usually when I awoke so abruptly in the night, it was because subconsciously I knew Caius was watching me; waiting for me. Tonight was different, I was alone in the room, and although I desperately wanted him to be waiting in the shadows, I knew he wasn't. It only took a moment for me to realize, he was with her.

* * *

**Okay...please don't hate me!! I swear I have good reasons!**

**Please review and let me know what you think :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I own nothing execpt for my OC, and my own ideas.**

**Note: Okay so I know some of you are angry with me...BUT...I have good reason, you'll see :P Anyways, thanks again to my beta KittenEm, who was ALOT of help with this chapter. **

**Enjoy!!**

_Chapter 14: Reluctantly Willing_

I felt as though I had not slept at all that night. I felt exhausted; every ounce of energy drained from my body, as I lay in my bed. I was sure that it was sometime late in the evening as the sun would soon be setting across Volterra. I had lain in bed all day, not even having anything to eat, which caused my stomach to snarl loudly at me on occasion.

I was overcome by an enormous sense of hopelessness. Part of me wanted to hunt Chloe down and deal with her myself, but I had decided otherwise. Besides the fact that I was not a violent person, I couldn't find the will power to drag my body from my bed.

I watched the sun cast an orange haze throughout my room, eventually darkening into a deep purple, before my room became dark. I soft knock at my door pulled me from my dazed stupor, and I turned my head to see who would venture through the door. Apparently whoever it was had been waiting for an invitation, but I was unable to find my voice, and so I waited. Finally, the door opened soundlessly, and a male silhouette slipped inside, floating over to the bed.

'You look dreadful, Lyana. Have you been in that bed all day?' Demetri voice was laced with concern as he spoke softly. I nodded, still unable to force any sound. He sat gently at the edge of the bed, observing me for a moment before he spoke again.

'Caius has requested your presence in the great hall. I suppose you'll want a little while to prepare. How long shall I tell him?' As the words left his mouth I heard a startlingly loud chuckle pierce the silence of the room, however it took a moment before I realized it was my own. Demetri stared at me for a moment, waiting for the laughter to cease. 'Have you gone mad? I know this whole ordeal with Chloe has been hard on you, but it's not the first time there's been another woman.' His red eyes continued to search my own, possibly trying to determine if my sanity was still intact.

I forced myself to sit up, I felt oddly energized now. 'I don't care what you tell him. But seeing as though my services are no longer required, I think I would rather stay right where I am.' I pulled myself out of the bed and walked over to the balcony.

I had never dreamed of defying Caius, but the betrayal on his part had seeped through to my heart. Demetri was right, there had been others, but they rarely lasted the night. I think what had bothered me the most, was that I had allowed myself to feel anything for Caius. He was a monster; ruthless, vicious and bloodthirsty, and though I knew the results would be devastating for me, I had allowed myself to feel for him. Perhaps what bothered me more was that I had allowed myself to believe that maybe - just maybe - there was some sort of genuine emotion, on his part, for me as well.

For three years I had told myself that I was expendable, replaceable even. But for some reason, all within the last little while, I had let myself believe that I had a purpose, a value.

Demetri had risen and stood barely a foot behind me. I knew he would deliver no such message; instead he waited there, as some form of silent aid. I let a quiet tear wet my cheek as I stared across the darkened city. A gentle breeze touched my skin, and I wiped the tear away, turning to face Demetri.

'Tell him I will be down within the hour.' I watch him nod at me, before walking past him to the bathroom. I wanted Demetri to tell Caius I would not come down, but I feared such a response would enrage Caius, and that was the last thing I needed. I also was afraid that by refusing to come down, Caius would come up, to me. I would have to face him regardless, and I preferred for him to be somewhat civil when it happened.

/////

I slipped from my room a short while later, freshly bathed, and looking more than acceptable. My hair fell in long soft waves around my exposed shoulders; my body encased in a short, strapless, navy blue satin dress, which hugged all my curves. My black Louboutins continued to penetrate the silence of the castle as they echoed off the stone floors with each step.

As I walked into the great hall, I felt somewhat relieved to see that Marcus and Aro were also present. I wasn't sure what had made me think that they would not have been, but I was startled at how relieved I felt to see them. I suppose part of me had believed that maybe Caius was going to take me out of the picture, once and for all. I approached the three brothers with my chin held high and my focus concentrated on Aro.

'Good evening, my Lord. You wished to see me.' An oddly enthusiastic smile appeared on Aro's lips as he observed me.

'I believe Caius wished to discuss various matters with you. Isn't that right, Caius?' Aro turned to look at him, while Caius' gaze threatened to burn a hole right through me.

'Yes, brother. In fact, Lyana, I would like you to follow me.' He rose from his seat, motioning for me to ascend the stairs, before he led me down the passageway behind them.

I followed him silently, before we emerged in a large, dimly lit room, which reminded me of a combination between a study and a sitting room. The room had no windows, but was lined with dark, oak bookshelves, and various statues which all appeared to be Greek in nature. In the middle of the room there were a few deep red sofas, and Caius motioned for me to sit. He however, did not, instead he paced the room slowly; his gaze, constant.

Finally, he stopped in front of me. His eyes were wild, and I noticed they were just beginning to lose their vibrant crimson hue, threatening to blacken.

'I know about the exchange that took place between you and Chloe last night.' He wanted me to address the issue, perhaps he wanted me to show how hurt I was, but I refused. If it was so easy for him to be so cruel and heartless, surely it could not be so hard for me to be as well.

'We spoke briefly, surely that isn't a problem.' I focused my gaze on a beautiful bound volume just beside his head. I feared that if I looked into his eyes for too long I would fall apart.

His eyes were searching mine, and for the briefest of moments I could swear concern washed over his face. 'I had hoped you would come to me last night.' He resumed pacing the room.

'Forgive me, my lord, but I assumed that if you had wished for my company you would have seen to it.' I gently shook my hair out, the waves tumbling around my shoulders. 'Besides, as I recall, Chloe had made it perfectly clear that you would not be needing me.' I heard a low growl escape his lips from somewhere behind me, and I knew that I had gotten back at her sufficiently, with that single comment.

'She said that?' his voice had become a bit hoarse; anger overwhelming him.

I stood, turning to face him, the sofa separating us. 'She said a lot of things, unfortunately. I see now that most of them are true.' I felt the despair begin to clutch at my stomach again, and I knew that unless I wanted him to see me cry, it would be best to excuse myself. 'If that's all, my lord, I wish to be excused.'

His eyes were hard, and I was surprised when he nodded. I turned quickly and slipped back down the passageway towards the great hall. When I emerged, Aro and Marcus had left, and only Demetri remained, waiting for me.

'I can get back to my room on my own, Demetri.' I struggled to give him a small smile, as I moved to pass him to exit the hall.

'Actually Lyana, Aro wishes to see you…in his study.' As the words left his mouth, they sounded foreign, even to him.

I felt my stomach turn, and I needed a moment of composure before I nodded. I could count on one hand the number of times I had been to Aro's study, and I knew I would need Demetri's help to find it.

I followed in silence as I was led through parts of the castle where I rarely ventured. In fact, I almost felt as though I was not welcome in these parts. The marble of the floor and walls was dark, almost black, and occasionally we passed white marble statues, beautifully showcased in delicate little out coves.

Finally, we reached a large oak door, nearly three times the size of my own. Demetri opened the door for me, closing it once I had slipped inside. I stood in a large foyer which connected three separate rooms. Unlike Caius, whose rooms were scattered in various locations around the castle, Aro had opted for one extensive suite. The room directly ahead of me stood open to my view; the study, and Aro appeared suddenly at the doorway.

'Hello, my dear, please won't you come in?' I slipped by him slowly into the study, before he motioned for me to sit at a large black, silk armchair in front of his desk. He leaned against the desk just beside me as he studied me for a moment.

'I understand that the situation with you and Caius has worsened. I know about your encounter with Chloe last night, but I do wish I could get your thoughts on the matter.' His pale hand extended towards me, and I offered him my hand without hesitation. His cold fingers wrapped gently around my own.

'I think Caius cares for you far more then you can possibly understand.'

Though he had seen all he required, he maintained his grip on my hand. I searched his vividly red eyes, trying to determine how sincere he was. I often found that Aro was hard to read, being so used to reading all those around him. He had cleverly constructed an artificial enthusiasm, which hid his truly vicious and deceptive nature.

'Then why is he bothering with her? I don't understand what I've done to be cast aside.' For some reason it was easy to let down all my defenses with Aro; they were pointless. I let myself sink back into the soft cushioning of the chair when Aro finally released my hand, almost reluctantly.

'I thought you of all people would understand that Caius is, and always has been, a predator. He enjoys the chase; the complete and utter domination of his prey. With you, every intrigue is a new, exciting chase for him, you constantly thrill him. Chloe provides a different sort of excitement for him, but I believe it to be temporary.' He held my gaze for a moment before his eyes began to wander.

I felt a shiver ripple through my body, and suddenly I felt the need to distract him. 'What do you mean?'

A grin spread across his lips, revealing just a hint of his perfect white teeth. 'I think she helps him release a little bit of his anger, if you will.' After a moment, when I was still unaware exactly what he meant, he decided he would have to clarify a little more. 'You've seen the bruises. If I recall, he hasn't lost control like that with you in quite a while.' Aro appeared suddenly, just behind my chair. He leaned around, his lips barely inches from my ear. 'Even I'm having trouble controlling myself right now, Lyana.' His breath was cool against my neck; an icy finger tracing the line of my jaw.

My heart thudded loudly in my chest, and I felt his finger forced my head to turn, to face him. His lips were so close to my own, and I felt the world stop for the briefest of moments, the sound of my own heartbeat filling my ears. His eyes flashed dangerously, as they blackened before my own. His lips were parted slightly, and I could see just the faintest glint of his teeth behind them. My body felt almost numb beneath me; paralyzed by what should have been fear. I felt his fingertips brush along my neck and down to my collarbone, ever so gently. I knew he wanted me, but I wasn't sure which he wanted more; my body, or my blood.

I heard a low hiss, which was just barely audible, escape his lips before he vanished. He reappeared on the opposite side of the desk; his lascivious eyes were slowly beginning to regain their vibrant colour. I felt another shiver touch every inch of my body as I tried not to look as terrified as I felt in that moment.

'We will speak again soon, my dear. Go now.' His smile returned, but it was betrayed by the chaos still lingering in his eyes. He led me to the door, being sure to maintain some distance from me. He opened the door for me and as I slipped through, I allowed myself to pass perilously close to him, brushing against him for the most fleeting of moments. The gesture was oddly intimate, and Aro looked neither surprised, nor offended. I mentally blamed my legs, which were still weak from the encounter. However, a small part of my mind led me to believe that perhaps I was reacting to whatever emotion it was that I had seen in his eyes.

Demetri found me quickly, and escorted me back to my room. Once I had said goodnight and closed the door behind me, I let myself think over my encounter with Aro. What had I been thinking? I had been playing with fire, in more than one way. Could it possibly be that Aro wanted me as well? I felt dizzy at the thought; I couldn't fathom another fiercely overpowering vampire to satiate.

I also thought over what Aro had said to me before I left, that we would see each other again soon. My knees felt weak again, and I had to lean against one of the posts of my canopy bed to steady myself. I wasn't sure if Aro actually expected me to sleep with him as well; perhaps Chloe had been a ploy to make Caius less possessive of me. The thought made me want to laugh, perhaps I was deluded.

As I sat leaned, lost in thought, I remembered my last conversation with Marcus, and what he had said to me, '_It was hard for him to have you be so far away for so long. That was how he chose to cope with your absence. It was Aro's idea, I'm sure that comes as no surprise to you.' _It all hit me then, like being struck by lightning. I couldn't recall Aro ever having done anything that would not be beneficial, first and foremost, to himself. So perhaps I wasn't deluded; perhaps Aro had brought Chloe into the mix to keep Caius preoccupied. Though, I couldn't help but wonder why? I had been in Volterra for years, so why would Aro all of a sudden be so interested in me?

Surely if he had wanted me before, he would have acted sooner. I tried to drive the thoughts from my head. It was useless to try to understand Aro's mind, and I was fairly positive I didn't want to.

I changed and slipped into my bed. Even though I had been in it all day, it still felt so good to return to it. I was sure that the events of the day would allow me no rest.

As I recalled Aro's lips, so close to my own I felt another chill wrack my body. Aro was much different than Caius, in fact, he was probably more bloodthirsty and deceptive. Caius was brutal and angry, but once you understood what he expected from you, you had some sort of chance. I wasn't so sure with Aro; he seemed the more compassionate of the two at first, but beneath the surface he was still a cold calculated killer.

So why did the thought of him wanting me, not bother me as it should have? I assumed it was because I had no choice. If he wanted me there was nothing else I could do, except hope that Caius would be infuriated by the thought alone.

I realized I was going to have to find some good in the situation with Aro, if it was to progress. I reluctantly allowed myself to entertain the idea of what it would feel like to let down, not only the emotional walls with Aro, but the physical ones as well. But I found it only made me ache for _him_ even more. I wanted Caius. It had taken me three years to finally understand him; to know how to please him. I had often questioned my own sanity, but I enjoyed it, being with him, letting him in.

I finally drifted off to sleep, but it was melancholy, and I knew it would be uninterrupted. I knew that Caius would not come to me after our discussion earlier; he was probably with _her_ already. And I knew Aro would not come to me at all. Rather, he would make me come to him. I felt another chill run through me; it would be like starting all over again.

I remembered the fear I had felt the first time Caius had summoned me to his chambers; it had been overwhelming. But the ecstasy that fear had brought had been exquisite; but I drove the visions of that night from my mind. I couldn't bear to think of that night right now, it would only make the pain worse; the pain of what had already happened, and the pain I felt knowing what would come next.

* * *

**Please don't be mad!! I promise this is for the best :) Please review!**


	15. Chapter 15

_**Disclaimer: I do not own anything, except for my own characters and ideas. The rest belongs to Stephenie Meyers.**_

**_Notes: Thanks to everyone who reviewed :D I can't tell you how much it means to get feedback on my writing. Sorry about the wait, hopefully it'll be worth it. Thanks again to my beta KittenEm :) _**

_Chapter 15: Deception _

The sun was high in the sky when I finally woke up. Thankfully, my sleep had been deep and dreamless, which seemed to come as a surprise to me. I guess I had expected a nightmare to reflect the nightmare my life had become. The sun danced over the rooftops in Volterra, and I wanted to be happy; to enjoy the day. However, that seemed impossible as the events of the previous night flooded back into my mind. I recalled the conversation with Caius, and the even more horrifying one with Aro.

I went about getting ready; though I tried not to dwell too long on what exactly it was that I was getting ready for. I took my bath, I made sure my hair looked just so and I dressed. I wasn't sure the dress was what I wanted that day, but then again I wasn't really sure what was expected of me either; not anymore. I looked myself over in the mirror a moment longer; the deep purple satin clung snugly to my waist and hips, before cascading loosely to the floor.

When I was sure that I looked acceptable I left my room, making my way quickly and quietly through the corridors of the castle. I decided that neither the library, nor the tower were safe. Both were places I was expected to inhabit during the daytime hours, but I had decided I wished not to be found today. I wandered the corridors aimlessly, trying to lose myself in some hidden place, I had yet to discover, for what must have been hours.

These hallways were foreign to me, and the marble was a beautiful, rich **orange brown** colour, which reminded me of terracotta. Finally, I slipped into one of the rooms which lined the corridor. The room inside looked as though it had been untouched for decades; the furniture had been draped with large white linen blankets, and the thick, gray velvet curtains blocked out the sun. I closed the door quietly behind me, crossing the room to draw back the curtains, letting the light pour into the room. I wasted no time in pulling the linen blankets off of the furniture, to reveal the beautiful antiques underneath. I realized this must have been a sitting room at one point. Though, I wondered who, if anyone, the beautiful room belonged to. It was in an area of the castle which was completely unfamiliar to me; but it was the most enchanting part, thus far. There were a few ornate, lightly cushioned chairs about the room; they were gold and beige in colour, and a small table, complete with a delicate china tea set, which I assumed had never been used.

Something about this room was oddly comforting to me, and I figured it had to do with the fact that it had remained undisturbed for so long. I settled myself in one of the chairs nearest to the window, and let myself enjoy the warmth of the sunlight against my skin. The light in the room helped me feel as though my situation wasn't as hopeless as I had thought last night; perhaps I could salvage my happiness, maybe even Caius' affection.

But my encounter with Aro loomed over me, threatening to consume every ounce of my being. I knew that if he truly wanted me, then it was hopeless; all that I could do was give in. The thought sent shivers down my spine. I wasn't sure if I could handle the fear again…

_I felt a scream building in my throat, daring to escape my lips, as I followed Demetri silently through the dark corridors. We made our way up a narrow, winding staircase, stopping at a large, carved oak door. Demetri opened the door for me and waited till I had crossed the threshold before he closed it soundlessly behind me. The room was dimly lit by a few errant candles which flickered as a cool night breeze rustled the sheer black curtains. This was not a bedroom; there was only a large, red velvet couch, to accompany the large wooden desk and walls lined with bookshelves. _

_At first I thought I was alone in the room, until he ghosted towards me, from the window. He was tall, enrobed entirely in black, contrasting with his pale blonde hair. His face was beautiful, but the blood red eyes within it were deeply unsettling as they scanned over my body. I felt blood rush to my cheeks; I felt embarrassed and I wanted desperately to cover myself. The red dress which I had found on my bed a few hours prior hugged every inch of my body; the long slit exposing my entire left leg, and the neckline exposing more of my chest than I'd like. _

_He stopped a couple of feet away from me; his hellish eyes glittering in dim light, as they ravaged my body. That scream started to build once again, but I fought it back; it would not protect me from what was yet to come._

'_How is it that I've overlooked you all this time.' His voice was cold and smooth; deliciously so. But it wasn't a question, more of a statement, to himself. I felt every hair on my body stand on end and he closed the distance between us. He was so close the cold emanated from his body, and it was as glacial as his voice. 'On the couch.' _

_I slipped by him, my eyes focused on the floor, as I perched on the edge of the lush red couch. He floated towards me, and I closed my eyes as I struggled against the tumultuous churning of my stomach. I felt his icy fingers trace my collarbone before they found my shoulders, forcing me to lie down. I felt the fabric of the couch sink around me as he positioned himself above me. His hips forced my legs apart, and I felt his weight pin me to the spot. I felt him rip away the delicate black underwear which had been shielding me from him. My breath quickened, as his cold lips found the hot flesh of my neck. I clenched my eyes shut, waiting for those glistening white teeth to sink into my flesh, but they didn't. Instead, his lips gently sucked at the flesh; and I felt my body react in a way I would have thought was impossible. He was a monster… a beautiful monster. I had spent two years living in utter fear of him. All the vampires in this place terrified me, but him most of all. I had seen, first hand, his brutality; his complete and utter disregard for any life, whether it was human or vampire. So why was my body betraying me this way? Just the thought of him alone should have made my skin crawl, but instead it was on fire under his touch._

_His hand found my breast, and the delicate silk did nothing to protect me from his icy touch. My back arched, pressing me against him even more almost of its own accord. I had kept my eyes closed, and it had helped me believe that the monster I knew to be Caius, was not the person providing me with so much pleasure. His hand left my breast for a moment, and out of curiosity I decided to force open my eyes. I wished I had kept them closed as they met his demonic red eyes, the moment when he thrust inside me. The pain was overwhelming, as he stretched the limits of my body. I felt a choked cry escape my throat, echoing through the room. _

_Eventually the pain dulled, and began to subside, to both my horror and relief. His thrusts were deep, gradually becoming rougher, but my body accepted the pleasure they brought - waves of it washing through me. I clawed at the fabric of the couch, unsure if I should touch him in any way, when I desperately wanted to wrap my arms around him; to grip the dark fabric which still encased his broad shoulders and back. He repositioned himself on top of me, pushing himself further into me with his hips grinding into my own so deeply it was almost unbearable. I let my back arch, forcing my body up to meet him; one arm slipping underneath his cloak to claw at his back, feeling the cold, hard muscles underneath. A loud growl shook his chest, and I instinctively tried to remove my arm; afraid the animalistic sound was one of anger, and of my own doing. But his own arm wrapped around my waist, pinning me against him, his grip was unfaltering, threatening to crush the breath away. _

_His lips found mine, and his tongue pushed past my teeth, invading my mouth. My hips had started moving with him, grinding furiously against each other causing our kisses to become frenzied. I clung to him, every inch of our bodies pressed together, as he continued to ravage me. _

_My entire body trembled against him as rapture overtook me; the pleasure finally becoming more then I could possibly endure. It was only a moment before another loud snarl deafened me as he came inside me. His hips finally stilled as he held me against him, his arms like a steel cage holding me prisoner. My breathing was ragged as I kept my face pressed against his chest; the smell of him intoxicating me more with each breath._

My knees felt weak as I recalled that night, and I was glad that I had been sitting. I had known, in that moment, that I was his. That night he had conquered my body, though I still felt shame as I recalled how easily I had given in, and how willing I had been ever since. I had thought that the fear would have made the situation insufferable, and I had assumed that I would be repulsed by Caius. Instead the fear had excited me even more, as it had added to the unexpected ecstasy. Although I had hated myself for days afterwards; repulsed by myself instead, at how much I had enjoyed it, and the connection I then felt to _him_. Now, a few years later, he had conquered my heart, and I was horrified to discover that he claimed it so reluctantly.

I felt the anger bubble up inside me; I had given him all of me, and he was tossing it aside, moving on to claim his next prize. I stood from the chair; the room was beginning to darken as the sun began to set, casting a breathtaking orange hue across the room. But I couldn't enjoy the sunset, instead the beautiful warm colours only enhanced the anger I felt. I turned to leave the room, still furious as I flew through the corridors.

Suddenly, the thought of Aro didn't seem so horrible. If I meant so little to Caius, why should I remain faithful to him? At the end of the day it was Aro who let me live, who even protected me from Caius' wrath. Perhaps it was time for me to please the one who had let me live all these years. The memory of that first night so long ago had made me wonder what a first time with Aro might be like; would he be rough, merciless, or would he be gentle and passionate? I wasn't sure a vampire knew what passion was, but that first time with Caius had been so delicious and I found myself curious to know how it would be with Aro.

After a while, when I was calm_, _I realized I had no idea where I was, or how to get back to the part of the castle I was familiar with. I wandered the darkening hallways, starting to worry that I had unfortunately succeeded in losing myself. After I had walked a while more I found myself at a large set of doors that seemed so familiar to me; the doors to Aro's chamber. I wondered if I had subconsciously found my way back; that deep down part of me wanted this. I raised my hand to knock but paused for a moment. Now that the anger had worn off, I wasn't sure if I could go through with it. I knew that if I went to Aro now, he would take me - if that had truly been his intentions. I wasn't sure if I would be able to look in the mirror afterwards and stomach the woman staring back at me.

The door opened and Aro's figure appearing before me. His red eyes were gleaming fiendishly in the dark. I gasped in shock since I hadn't knocked yet, and I was scared. I needed more time, but mine had run out. I was there now, and there was no going back.

'Lyana, isn't this a wonderful surprise!' He held the door open for me to enter, but only enough that I would be forced to brush against him; repeating my actions from last night. A chill wracked my body as it made that slight contact with his. It was like a bolt of electricity had passed through my body.

Once I was inside I walked towards the door to his study, but his arm slipped around my waist, pulling me back into him.

'Oh my dear, the study wasn't exactly the room I had in mind.' His lips found the delicate skin of my earlobe, and gently sucked it before his teeth nipped at it. I felt my legs give out beneath me, and I was glad he was holding me so close.

Aro lifted me swiftly into his arms as he carried me into his room. It was dark now, and only the young moonlight streamed in through the window. His room was exactly how I envisioned it: enormous, but elegant. The bed sat in the middle of the room; the biggest bed I'd ever seen, and draped with black silk. He set me down gently on the bed, his eyes wandering over my body, blackening almost instantly.

'Are you afraid of me, Lyana?' his voice was seductively smooth, and I wanted to hate him for making me say it aloud, when he already knew the answer, but the hatred didn't come.

'Yes.' It was a whisper, the fear growing in the pit of my stomach.

His eyes flashed formidably as he moved closer to me. I tried to move away, to put some distance between us, which I instantly regretted. A low snarl erupted from him, his top lip curling back to expose his teeth. He grabbed my ankles roughly and pulled me towards him, spreading my legs as he did so. I could see the lust in his eyes, before his lowered himself onto me, his weight rendering me helpless as he pinned my wrists to the mattress above my head. His lips found my neck and collarbone, and I tried desperately to deny the tension that had begun to build, tension I wanted him to release.

I felt myself melt into him as his lips claimed my own, and it all felt so wrong. It was incredible and irresistible, but wrong. His hands abandoned my wrists as they grazed over my body, ripping open the front of my dress. I was glad I had worn a bra and underwear. I needed that tiniest bit more material to separate us for now, and I was relieved that Aro did not instantly rip them off as well. Instead his hands roamed over me, while his tongue coaxed its way into my mouth, forcing a quiet moan from me which was instantly lost. His hand glided up along my inner thigh, reaching the black lace of my underwear, and pushing it gently aside. His fingers pushed into me, another moan escaping my lips, forcing me to break our kiss. They glided into me over and over again and my body writhed under him. His body was different, and I was surprised I had noticed. I knew it was wrong to compare, but I had been so used to Caius' body, that it was an odd sensation - to be in the arms of another man. I was especially thrown by the curtain of black hair which hung around my face, bombarding me with his enticing scent. It was such a contrast from the blonde hair I was so used to.

I felt his weight lift off of me, as he gently pulled the underwear down, slipping it off and discarding it. His lips claimed mine again, as he positioned himself, one hand undoing the zipper of his black suit pants; removing all barriers between us.

My head was swimming, all of my conflicted thoughts racing through it, questioning if this was what I truly wanted. My heart knew it wasn't what I really wanted, or perhaps: who was closer to the truth. But my body, my traitorous body, was yearning for it. I knew no matter what I decided, it was too late to go back now so, I wound my arms around Aro's waist, holding myself close to him, as the fear washed over me. I felt him as he throbbed, ready to consume me; his eyes were black as they held my gaze, our lips almost touching, my breath labored as I readied myself.

'Well well, what have we here?' The voice pierced through the darkness, drawling at us from the doorway.

I felt my heart pound frantically in my chest as my eyes peered over Aro's shoulder to meet Caius'. They were black, furious and wild as they took in the scene before him.

Aro chuckled, he hadn't even moved, he was still positioned, ready to take me. 'I'm afraid you've come at rather a bad time, Caius.' I was grateful he hadn't moved, otherwise I'd be almost entirely naked in the middle of the bed, at least this way I was more or less concealed from Caius' view.

'I see that. When you sent for me to come speak with you, brother, I didn't think you would be preoccupied.' His voice was impassive, and I felt a wave of nausea roll over me. I felt my chest begin to heave, my eyes brimming with tears, as I lay there, pinned underneath Aro. 'Perhaps you wanted an audience?' Though his voice seemed emotionless, his eyes were filled with rage, and I wasn't sure who he was angrier with: Aro or me.

'A moment brother, if you will.' Aro's voice was composed even now, and I noticed that he didn't seem to be at all bothered by our predicament, or rather, my predicament.

Another wave of rage flashed in Caius' eyes, and a low rumbling growl caused his lip to curl back, exposing his deceivingly razor-sharp teeth**.**

Aro waited until Caius had disappeared before he left me, giving me a chance to pull the black silk up around myself.

'What did he mean when he said you sent for him?'

Aro grinned at me as he adjusted his suit. 'All in good time, my dear. Though I cannot fully express how disappointed I am that he came so promptly.' He gently gripped my hand, pressing the back of it to his lips before he too vanished.

I sat there for a moment, terrified and confused as I tried to understand what had happened, before I quickly found my underwear. I pulled on a black robe which had conveniently been left, draped over the edge of the bed and fled from Aro's chambers.

Somehow I managed to find my way back to my room, luckily without encountering anyone else. I slammed the door closed behind me and made a bee line for the bathroom. The nausea had only continued to build after I left Aro's room, and by the time I made it to the toilet, the fear and anxiety had sent me over the edge.

* * *

**So...once again...don't be mad!! You will see!! :P**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything, except for my own ideas. **

**Note: Thanks to everyone whose been reviewing :) The feedback means alot to me!! I know some people haven't been thrilled with the last few chapters, but hopefully everything will start to make more sense now :P I want to thank my beta KittenEm, whose been an incredible help to me :)**

**Enjoy!! :D**

_Chapter 16: Fury_

The nausea rolled through my body in waves - tumultuous and relentless. I wasn't completely sure what was making me feel so sick, so disgusted with myself; if it was the fact that I had been seconds away from giving myself to Aro, or that Caius had almost witnessed it. Either way, Caius knew of my betrayal, and I would have to deal with the consequences of my actions.

It was hours before I was able to peel myself from the bathroom floor. I needed to grip the marble countertop to remain balanced on my feet, as I leaned over to splash cold water on my face. It didn't help. I slowly made my way into the bedroom, leaning against the walls when needed. The bed was far more comfortable than the cold marble of the bathroom floor, but I was still unbelievably cold.

I lay in bed for a while, waiting, though I wasn't sure what for.

Eventually I drifted off to sleep, but it was restless and troubled. I tossed and turned; the nausea regularly forcing me back into consciousness.

It was late in the afternoon when I finally woke up. A soft, brilliant glimmering figure sat in the armchair by the window. He watched me curiously in silent for a moment or two before he rose and approached the bed.

'Why?' my voice was hoarse and rough, and it sounded as terrible as I felt.

Aro sat down at the edge of the bed, turning slightly towards me. 'There was a small part of me which felt bad. Since, I brought Chloe in, and I saw how her presence devastated you, my dear.' His eyes sparkled in the sunlight as he spoke. I was shocked beyond words. The idea of Aro feeling guilty for his actions was unfathomable to me.

His fingertips lightly touched the top of my hand, which was resting on the mattress beside me; a slight smile touched his lips. 'Never fear, Lyana. I haven't softened. There was much for me to gain, no matter how the situation plays out. Though I had hoped Caius would not have come so soon last night.' That was the Aro I knew: selfish, manipulative, cold – in every sense.

'You want him to kill me?' I felt the heat spread through my face as anger pulsed through my body with each heartbeat.

Aro's laugh startled me as he rose, floating towards the door.

//////

I bathed and ate, after Aro left, but today I stayed in my room. I knew there were only two possibilities for me today: to wait for Demetri to come and take me to _him_, or wait for him to come to me. Either way, I knew I would not be given another chance, not this time.

I couldn't understand what I had done that Aro wanted me dead, at Caius' hands. If Aro wanted someone dead, he did it himself.

Eventually the city began to darken before my eyes; the stars begin to shimmer in the dark, velvet sky.

A loud sickening crack sent wooden splinters flying through the room. I could make out Caius' figure in the doorway, a large wooden splinter lingered in his hand, and a low, deep growl rumbling through his chest. I dived off of the bed to cower on the opposite side; but he paused, standing on the other side of what had once been my bedroom door before he ghosted into the room. I tried to stifle a scream I felt rising in my throat; I knew Caius was powerful, but staring at what little remained of a once very large door was horrifying. He stopped at the edge of the bed, the mattress the only thing separating us. His dramatic entrance had achieved its purpose; not only was I terrified, cowering, I knew how our meeting tonight would end.

'Disappointed?' he growled, his red eyes glittering in the moonlight.

'What do you mean, my lord?' I gripped the one post of the bed, almost using it to shield my body.

'You must have been hoping for Aro.' His voice was ice cold; his white teeth flashing as his lips pulled back from them in a silent growl.

One part of my mind told me to apologize and plead for mercy; perhaps he would give me a quick death. But the other part of my mind told me that keeping my mouth shut would be the smartest thing I could do. I knew my apology was pointless.

He began to float around the bed, removing the only obstacle in his way. Though fear made my movements clumsy and slow, I crawled across the bed in my feeble attempt to escape his wrath, not able or willing to face him directly just yet. A loud snarl deafened me as I felt him pin me to the mattress, as he pounced; his hands crushing my wrists as he held them above me.

'What would possibly make you think you could outrun me?' he hissed into my ear. 'We have much to discuss, you and I. Do not think for a moment that you could betray me without paying the penalty.' I closed my eyes, turning my face away from him. I knew death was inevitable, and the pride in me refused to die scared, the way I had lived the last few years of my life. His one hand gripped my neck; his cold breath forcing chills through my body. I had known that my night with Aro had been a moment I would never be able to erase from his mind. I had accepted that he would either not care; to consumed in his tryst with Chloe. Or he would be furious, the way he was right now, and it would mean my death.

I had never been one of those incredibly strong, impervious women I read about in books. I was a human, and I had allowed myself to be consumed by fear and longing. But this was my one moment; the moment I could be strong, I could say how I felt, what I had been feeling for the last few years. At least then I would have my moment of strength, even if it was followed immediately by my death.

'We're almost even.' My voice was a chocked whisper, but it had all the volume it needed to reach his ears.

'What?' I could hear the hint of shock in his voice. It was mingled with a new wave of rage.

'Nothing actually happened between Aro and me, which is less than I can say for you. At least I regret my actions.' His hand loosened and I felt his weight lift off of me.

'You thought you could sleep with Aro to spite me?' His voice was laced with ridicule as he slowly began to pace the perimeter of the bed.

'No, what you saw last night was Aro's doing. He sent for you remember?' I forced myself to sit up, pulling the white satin of my nightdress down to cover my thighs.

'You looked willing enough.' He growled as he approached my side.

'You were more than willing to take Chloe into your bed.' I spat the words at him, my anger taking hold of me. I had spent my life in Volterra cowering before him, but with the prospect of death looming over me I decided it was time to tell him how I felt for once, at least than someone would be conveying genuine emotion.

'There have been other women throughout the past few years. None of them seemed to bother you so. So why is it that Chloe has had such an impact on you? You didn't care all those other times, even when I forced you to watch, or participate.' His lip curled back in a demonic sneer; now he was trying to be cruel.

'Because I didn't know I loved you.' The words were so quiet, I thought they had been only in my mind, but they hadn't. I felt a silent tear warm my cheek as it fell. I couldn't bring myself to look at him, and he was silent now.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for my own characters/ideas.**

**Note: I apologize for how long I made everyone wait for this chapter, especially after that aweful cliffhanger last chapter!! I hope it was worth it :) The reviews have been awesome!! Thank you again, a million times over for your feedback, which inspires me to keep going. Also, thanks to everyone who has added this story to their favourites AND to those of you who have added me to your favourite authors :) It makes me so happy that you enjoy my story and I hope I never disappoint! As always, I must thank my beta KittenEm, who has been an awesome contributor to my story. So please enjoy!! and don't hesitate to let me know whats on your mind!!**

_Chapter 17:_ Propositions

It felt as though I had laid there for an eternity, waiting as my breath stuck within my chest. Eventually, I forced myself to look at him, but he was gone.

I wasn't quite sure how I had hoped him to react. But I suppose I had expected more of a reaction than what I had received – which was virtually nothing. I had always thought he was incapable of love, so I wasn't surprised that the feeling was not reciprocated, although any form of acknowledgement on his part would have been better than his wordless departure.

I had to admit, there was a tremendous sense of relief now; I had bared my soul, revealing the genuine emotion I felt. It had been one of the single most terrifying experiences, but I had said it, and now there was nothing left to be scared of, except my impending death. The Volturi, Caius in particular, were not known for bestowing second chances, and here I had already let mine pass me by. Although the replacement of my bedroom door had reminded me of Caius' fury, I knew I had not seen nearly enough to match the betrayal he had witnessed.

His absence, while slightly confusing and severely frustrating, still left no doubt in my mind that my time had come.

Every day that passed since our confrontation, dangled the prospect of my extermination, but as each day turned to night, I lived on. The days began to blur together; each day filled with more anxiety then the last. I was sure it had been at least a week since my confrontation with Caius, though I couldn't be positive that it wasn't more. And every day that I lived on, every new day that passed was filled with hatred. I hated Aro for his utter manipulation of my entire life, not to mention every emotion I could possibly possess. I hated Chloe for existing; for being available to Caius, ready for his use. But mostly, I hated Ayla; had it not been for her, my absence would never have occurred in the first place.

Though as much as the entire situation could be traced back to Ayla's visit, the only hatred I could really release on anyone was either Aro, or Chloe. I chose Aro.

If it had been a simple matter of revenge, Chloe would have suited me just fine. However, it wasn't necessarily revenge that I sought, rather an explanation. Aro had spent years pretending to be merciful and compassionate, but he was a liar. It was no secret in the castle that there had always been more to him, a dark, sadistic side that was so cleverly hidden. So I wasn't entirely sure why I had thought him to be anything but the monster he was.

////

As I slipped through the darkened corridors I wasn't sure what I should expect: the answers I needed, or the release I desired. If I was lucky, perhaps I'd get both. Either way, I was certain Aro would give me something that I wanted.

When I reached that familiar door, I fought every urge to storm in, in a violent flurry of desperate emotions. Instead, I composed myself and I knocked, waiting silently. The door opened and Aro's expecting face appeared, a slight grin stretching across his lips as he motioned for me to enter.

He wasn't at all surprised, nor was he distressed to see me. I wanted to be furious, but found myself restrained**, **momentarily, as I recalled my last visit.

The last time I had been in his chambers, I had been willing, and had come dangerously close to giving myself to him. I remembered lying beneath him, almost entirely naked; chilled by his cold flesh as his weight crushed me into the bed, waiting and ready to be consumed. I shuddered as I recalled that night, but forced the images from my mind as I stood in the darkened foyer that connected all his rooms.

He closed the door soundlessly and ghosted towards me, reaching to grasp my hand in his own. He brought it to his lips, placing a gentle, lingering kiss on the back of it; his eyes smoldering as they searched my face. I was horrified as the grin widened, a deep chuckle escaping his throat.

'I was so hoping you'd come to finish what we started the other night.' His voice was seductively smooth and I felt my heart thud against my chest. _Had he not done enough damage already?_ 'But I see you are angry with me, my dear. Come; let us see if we can ease your distress.' He kept my hand as he escorted me, much to my relief, into his study. I took a seat in front of his desk as he went to sit opposite me. His study was dimly lit tonight, and it made his crimson eyes glitter more demonically than usual.

'Why?' My voice was harsh, cold – demanding even. I had already decided that I would get answers from Aro, or enrage him enough that at least he might kill me now, quickly, and spare me the long painful death Caius would give me.

Aro grinned again, his teeth gleaming. 'Well Chloe was my doing, and I felt as though I should make it up to you, you were so clearly distressed after your introduction to her. I thought I was helping to 'put things right', so to speak.' He sounded too rational; as though the answer was justifiable. I was taken aback to hear his response, and I sat there for a few moments speechless, as my brain tried to process his answer.

'So convincing me you wanted me, luring me to your room in hopes of seducing me, and having Caius witness it, was supposed to achieve this?' I hissed incredulously. I felt the heat sear through my face in outrage at his ridiculous explanation.

As though out of spite, his grin returned yet again, though far more subtle this time, than before. 'I was merely demonstrating to Caius, what it would be like for another man to take interest in you, the way he had taken interest in Chloe. This forced him to consider how it might feel for him to lose your affections to another. How better could I control the situation then to participate in it myself?' He voice remained calm and even the entire time.

'Well whether or not that was your intention, it clearly did not work. He's going to kill me. Was that part of your plan?'

'If he was sure he wanted you dead, you would be dead. He's not sure what to do with you, especially after your tender declaration of love for him.' I could hear the mockery in his voice at the mention of love.

'Or he's trying to think of the most satisfying way to kill me.' I felt helpless as my eyes searched Aro's desperately.

'Perhaps.' He rose floating around the back of my chair. His icy fingertips traced the length of my neck, sending a chill down my spine. 'There is a way to ensure he doesn't kill you.' His voice had become dangerously dark, and I was glad he was standing behind me. I wasn't sure I could stomach having to look into his eyes. I turned my head slightly to acknowledge his comment, but not so far as to be able to see him. 'If you were more valuable to me, I might be inclined to command his restraint.'

I felt as though my heart had stilled inside my chest; my mouth was dry and I was glad I was seated. 'What might endear me to you in such a way?' I hadn't meant to whisper my question, but I could not find any more volume for my voice. I hoped desperately he was not implying what I thought he was, but his dark chuckle left little doubt in my mind.

'I ask for nothing more than the same acts you used to endear yourself to our beloved Caius.' He appeared suddenly before me, his hand closing around my own as he pulled me gently to my feet. His eyes burned into me, as we stood there, so close we were almost touching; my hand still held captive by his own.

'And if I refused? What then?' I whispered, willing my legs to keep me upright.

'Well, if there is to be no intimacy or affection between us, I could still try to dissuade Caius, but unfortunately, I don't believe I could be as adamant about your survival.' He sneered as he spoke. He loved the torture he was forcing me to endure.

'Are you really so heartless, my lord?' I felt my chin lift ever so slightly, my back straightening just a bit, drawing his attention to my chest. 'Is that really what you want?' His eyes widened in slight confusion, as they searched my own. 'I don't expect you to care about what fate I meet, but if you have ever felt the slightest bit of affection, or even respect for me, than I beg of you.' I felt the tears burn my eyes, as they yearned to fall forth.

His face grew serious as he considered my request. 'You should be careful what you wish for, my dear. I will do nothing until I have seen Caius' thoughts on your life.' He released my hand, taking a step back from me; his eyes thirsty. 'You may leave now.' He spoke the words reluctantly as he watched me flee the room.

/////

I didn't stop until I reached my room, slamming the door behind me and leaning against it to catch my breath. At least I had gotten some answers, though Aro's proposition, as well as my own terrified me. I didn't want Aro to think about it, I had wanted him to act, then and there.

When my breathing finally calmed I crossed my room, to gaze out the window at the dark city. I was tired of waiting for the axe to fall and now that I was calm, I felt foolish for my visit to Aro. Yes I had gotten some answers, but it had also made my situation more confusing and far messier.

I crossed the room, slipping quietly through the door this time. I made my way quickly through the corridor, my heart pounding in my chest as I made my way up the winding staircase. When I reached the door at the top I gently pushed the door open, peering inside. To my dismay, the room was empty, but I slipped inside, shutting the door behind me. I had desperately hoped Caius would be there, but the room had a strange air about it, as though it had been vacant for quite a while now.

I walked over to the red, velvet couch, lowering myself onto it. It felt odd to find so much comfort in it now, but the comfort was there nonetheless.

'You've caused quite the stir.' I bolted upright, turning to see her willowy silhouette ghost towards me from the window. I could count on one hand the number of times Athenodora and I had spoken; and none of them had been overtly pleasant. 'I'm afraid he has not been able to take comfort here, since the unfortunate events.' She floated around the couch to perch lightly beside me.

She turned slightly, to look at me, her eyes examining every available inch of me, never blinking once. I wasn't sure if I should respond to her comments, or if I should remain silent, which often seemed the smartest thing for me to do. But she continued, her eyes never leaving my face.

'So you think you love him? How odd; such emotions are wasted on him.' She seemed genuinely intrigued, perhaps slightly confused. 'I heard about your meeting with Aro.' A delicate grin appeared on her perfect pink lips. Her eyes flashed mischievously as though she were gossiping to an old friend. Though it was clear she was prying.

'That didn't take long.' I replied, finally breaking my silence. She giggled, clearly not one for subtleties.

'Sulpicia and I were across the hall. You know, I had no idea that Aro desired you so. He's done a terrific job at keeping his feelings hidden all the years; what, with you running about the castle, meeting Caius in those dark, forgotten corners.' Her voice reminded me of a wind chime; high-pitched, but delicately so.

'What do you want, Athenodora?' I felt my patience thinning, as I yearned to discover the point of her visit.

'Very well; I came to let you know your thoughts are wasted with Aro, as your emotions are wasted with Caius. Aro won't give you a quick, painless death, and if I were you I'd be careful what favours you ask of him. I thought you'd been here long enough to know him a bit better than that.' She tossed her long corn silk tendrils over her shoulder as she spoke.

My gaze was skeptical as I watched her. I didn't believe the sincerity of her warning. I knew there was something else on her mind. She watched me for a moment, before she continued.

'Well, just don't forget that this castle is full of vampires, that I'm sure, would be happy to grant you a quick, relatively painless death, and myself included.' She rose gracefully to her feet, her sneer pulling those beautiful lips back, exposing her white venomous teeth before she slipped out the door.

/////

I sat there on the couch for quite a while afterwards, eventually falling asleep. When I awoke, the sunlight poured in through the open window, and I forced myself to sit up and look around. I was still alone, to my dismay. But I noticed a piece of paper, out of place on the desk. I rose to my feet, walking hesitantly towards the desk. I recognized Caius' perfect writing – he had been there – in that very same room. I realized then that his scent once again lingered throughout the room, and I was shocked I had not noticed it sooner.

I reached for the note, my breath stilling inside my chest.

_The tower at midnight._

That was all I got, and it made my stomach somersault inside of me. I flew from the study, making my way back quickly to my room.


	18. Author's Note

**Author's Note:**

**So I realize it's been an obscenely long time since my last update, so I wanted to apologize for that firstly. The next chapter is in progress, but I'm in the middle of exams at the moment (gah!!) , so it's been taking much longer than anticipated **** But it is coming, very soon hopefully!! But it will be CRAZY!!! Because I must compensate for my lack of updating!! **

**Thanks for the reviews though, they have been amazing!! And thanks to all those who have added the story to favourites **

**And for all the other students who are in the middle of exams right now…Goodluck!!**


End file.
